# hydra



## splur (May 11, 2011)

I need some tips on treating hydra in my tank. I don't care about meds, but I'm looking for something that won't kill CRS/RCS, both berried and not, and both potential babies. Meaning also not killing the eggs currently on the shrimp.

I don't have any planaria, but I'm scared the hydra will kill some of the babies which I'm expecting soon.

I've heard about No Planaria and Panacur (fenbendazole/dog dewormer). Anyone with experience know which one would be better/easier and how much I should use?

I've tried taking them out manually, that's so far failed bad. Also been feeding a lot less, so they're living off something that's still in the tank.


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## Scotmando (Jul 10, 2011)

splur said:


> I need some tips on treating hydra in my tank. I don't care about meds, but I'm looking for something that won't kill CRS/RCS, both berried and not, and both potential babies. Meaning also not killing the eggs currently on the shrimp.
> 
> I don't have any planaria, but I'm scared the hydra will kill some of the babies which I'm expecting soon.
> 
> ...


I read gouramis & mollies love to eat hydra. I don't know how these fish will do with your shrimp but its probably worth a try. Also they're usually introduced to the tank as hitchhikers on plants.


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## splur (May 11, 2011)

Yeah, I'd kill my shrimp moving them to another tank while the gouramis and mollies slowly eat the hydra.

Anyone have experience with meds?


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## Scotmando (Jul 10, 2011)

i found a posting in another forum for Hydra removal. check it out

http://www.barrreport.com/showthread.php/6093-Efficient-Hydra-Removal


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## CrystalMethShrimp (Apr 27, 2010)

They are a pain in the ass to get rid of without chemicals.

I had them last month and I used gouramies because I didn't have any babies at the time.
Then when my babies came last week I just picked them off manually. They are down to <5%. They attach to glass, the glass behind your sponge filter, sponge filter, and plants mostly.I picked them off easily with a stick and a syringe. Put the plants in a cup 1 at a time with water then in the freezer for an hour.


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## Pamelajo (Aug 9, 2009)

An applesnail called a spixi will tame them and will not harm shrimp. Here is an experience from another forum where a guy used them.

http://www.canadianaquariumconnection.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10348&highlight=hydra


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## getochkn (Jul 10, 2011)

http://www.planetinverts.com/killing_planaria_and_hydra.html

I don't know if you know a vet or not around here where you can get dewormer with Fenbendazole in it or not, as that seems to kill hydra and planaria without harming shrimp at all.

I am going to treat one of my tanks this weekend with some Safeguard, a dog dewormer. You can't buy it OTC here though, only in the states. A friend in the states was sending a package to me and the safeguard must have fallen in the box by accident


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## splur (May 11, 2011)

Oh no, it's not OTC? That sucks, I was thinking of dropping by the pet store to get it but I guess not!! I was thinking of getting No Planaria from canadianaquatics, but there have been mixed reports as to if it works for hydra or not.


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## getochkn (Jul 10, 2011)

Not in Canada, its one of those things regulated that you can't buy OTC.


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## splur (May 11, 2011)

So I know I went against some people's suggestions about using chemicals, but I opted to get some No Planaria as I have berried shrimp and I don't want to lose all the shrimplets that are due soon.

Anyways, I put in the first treatment of No Planaria, still afraid of shrimps dying but none have yet. The hydras are not out but in their small scrunched up ball form but still attached to whatever they were before. Are they dead or dying or just protecting itself?


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## getochkn (Jul 10, 2011)

I did 2 doses of Safeguard, 3 days apart, as most recommend. All my shrimp were fine, berried moms fine, babies fine, no signs of planaria or hydra and I must have seen a bunch of different "worm thingys" come out of the substrate and sponge filters all dying. Sucked them up with a turkey baster. Little curly ones, little spinny ones, all kinds of things. lol. So not only does it kill planaria and hydra, it kills any unwanted worms in your tank.


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## splur (May 11, 2011)

getochkn said:


> I did 2 doses of Safeguard, 3 days apart, as most recommend. All my shrimp were fine, berried moms fine, babies fine, no signs of planaria or hydra and I must have seen a bunch of different "worm thingys" come out of the substrate and sponge filters all dying. Sucked them up with a turkey baster. Little curly ones, little spinny ones, all kinds of things. lol. So not only does it kill planaria and hydra, it kills any unwanted worms in your tank.


Unfortunately that's not OTC here so I went for the next best thing.

I was wondering what hydra looked like dead. Mine are balled up but still attached to the plants.


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## splur (May 11, 2011)

I should just rename this thread pests because it seems I somehow got all of them in one go. Despite the fact that I underfeed my shrimp (once a week and I never leave the food in there for more than 2 hours), seems pests are coming in.

Got rid of the hydra, now I've got a problem with something like this.





Supposedly it's a dwarf leech? Is it dangerous to shrimp? Anyone seen one of these before? I'm ordering Panacur from someone in the US, but it won't get here very quickly so... I guess I'm wondering what the urgency is with these "worms" or should I say disgusting freaks of nature.


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## arc (Mar 11, 2010)

Sorry about the lack of focus on the picture but its a pretty old point and shot camera.

The poor fellow is about 3-4 weeks and went too close to a hydra, first time seeing this but I've got pretty big infestation of them. Seed shrimps started to eat him after and then an adult CRS came over and took him...


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## splur (May 11, 2011)

Yikes! Luckily I got rid of the hydra in my tank. That's crazy, that shrimp looks pretty big too to get caught by the hydra.


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## arc (Mar 11, 2010)

The Hydras have always been in the tank(hundreds) but since the shrimp population never went down I just assumed they were harmless or that whatever they did manage to kill was insignificant. I ordered some Panacur because of what happened here but since the tank has been doing well, I'm not sure I want to use it. Anyone have any long term experience with chemicals that kill hydra? like 6 months or more


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