# Hydra, need personal experience



## jamesren (Aug 27, 2008)

I may need Hydra. This odd idea jump into my head yesterday. I have keeping cherry shrimp, crystal red shrimp for few years. There are tiny bug in my shrimp only tank. I thank called copepod. also can found tiny 1-3 mm white worm in substrate sometime come to glass wall. They are not harm to shrimp, they are indicate good water quality. Sometime annoy me. I have used guppy fry and threadfin rainbow fry to eat them. But once my shrimp baby bron, I have to remove the fish.
Can Hydra control this bug, trap and eat them? Do they harm shrimp baby? 
I need your experience.


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## matti2uude (Jan 10, 2009)

This is the best article I have found on Planaria and Hydra
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...-planaria-hydra-elimination-shrimp-tanks.html


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

I would expect hydra could catch and eat baby shrimp. I would certainly never intentionally add hydra to a tank. You can sometimes get them from brine shrimp eggs.


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## Alexpatrascu (Jun 13, 2010)

The tiny bug that you're talking about is called *Seed shrimp* and it's not harmful to your tank.....the little worm might be as I guess is *Planaria* !!!!

As Bill said, Hydra *WILL* catch and eat baby shrimps.......never intentionally add Hydra to a tank...

There is a palm tree extract based medication called No-Planaria(by Biomax) that takes care of planaria, seed shrimps, snails infestation,etc.....unfortunately is not available in USA or Canada.......

I made contact with some1 on an australian aqua-forum and I'm gonna bu the whole Biomax series + No-Planaria !!!!!


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

Planaria and other small copepods will not harm baby shrimp (I have had Planaria in my 2.5g previously).

However, Hydra will, so it is best not to introduce them purposefully into your aquarium.


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## jamesren (Aug 27, 2008)

Can Planaria eat copepods or seed shrimp?


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

jamesren said:


> Can Planaria eat copepods or seed shrimp?


Not as far as I know.


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

I agree the Hydra would be a greater threat than any of the other small-scale life in your tank.


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## Joeee (Apr 3, 2010)

jamesren said:


> Can Planaria eat copepods or seed shrimp?


Doubt it, copepods and seed shrimp are the same size, copepods I know for sure move like a shrimp (like how they shrimp backwards, xD) when they need to. Planaria is like a slug, they're too slow to get to the copepods. I have all three in a tank and I haven't seen any interesting interaction between them.


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## jamesren (Aug 27, 2008)

Maybe planaria or hydra can eat 0.1mm baby copepods and seed shrimp which my eye can't see. like filter feeder doing. 
new born CRS like 3mm vs adult copepods and seed shrimp 1mm are more stronger and fast jumper to me when I do water chang I can tell that.


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## mauve (Apr 12, 2010)

Hydras are like tiny fresh water anemones. I don't mind them at all. They are part of the system


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