# Sunstar Vs the Planaria



## Sunstar (Jul 29, 2008)

Okay folks, my 2.5 gallon has a definate planaria problem. I mean turn the light on in the morning and there are dozens crawling near the top. I did water changes, substrate vacs... but there still seems to be oodles. 

I even gave the tank a hit of levamisol (1/2 ml) did little other than kill those directly hit. Panacure, did not do much to damage them, a week later another hit of Levamisole, same result, not much other than kill the few directly hit. 


So....What should I do? 

I have MTS in the substrate, I don't want to wipe them out. 

Should I up the dose of panacure/levamisol and remove the betta for a heavier hit?

he's constapated something feirce too; that's a differnet sisue I am working on. 

They are GROSSSSSSSS.


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## Katalyst (Jul 29, 2007)

Clout will kill planaria & possibly your snails. If you'd like to try some I think I have them (just have to check the expiry date). 

I'd up the dosage of panacure, its what I'm currently doing in my hydra tank that has a few planaria. 

I'm so frustrated with that tank (it came with the planaria) ewww and I have yet to be able to eradicate it. The tank was my brother in laws who's been busy with work and no time for the hobby. Its a very nice tank minus the planaria. I'm thinking I might just nuke the entire tank when the warmer weather comes.


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## Sunstar (Jul 29, 2008)

I migth be interested in the clout. I'll remove the adult snails I like and isolate tem for a while. But this is disgusting. This morning when lights went on there were absolute hundreds of them.


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## Katalyst (Jul 29, 2007)

PS

Panacure will not harm snails. I'm going to write up a new article with my experiment and findings.


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## daking (Mar 6, 2008)

i was looking up what you were talking about.. then i found something that says use dog-dewormer.. weird.... but here is the link http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090326191553AAOQNml


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## Sunstar (Jul 29, 2008)

Kat, I am pretty sure it will hurt Nerites. Any nerites I had in a tank that was treated with panaur died. 

Daking, that's what we are using. Dog dewormer. Worked a charm for me against Hydra. 

Kat, think I should remove the betta and launch a full out assult on the Planaria? I can bring out the big guns.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Actually, the sheep/swine/cattle dewormer and the dog dewormer they are talking about are two different antithelmintics.

The cattle/swine dewormer is levamisole (which we all love so much now). The dog dewormer is Interceptor (TM) (Milbemycin oxime). They work in two different ways, and are two different classes of dewormers. Also a great drug to have on hand - Milbemycin oxime is one of the few drugs known to kill SPS red bugs effectively.

Have you guys tried Prazipro to kill the planaria? Prazi should work against them too.


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## Sunstar (Jul 29, 2008)

I keep failing to pick that up when I am in BA.


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

ameekplec. said:


> The cattle/swine dewormer is levamisole .


really? wonder if the in-law dairy farmers have any in the barn...hmmm.....


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## Katalyst (Jul 29, 2007)

Riceburner said:


> really? wonder if the in-law dairy farmers have any in the barn...hmmm.....


I can see the farmers all scratching their heads now. You want to put in what into your aquarium? Are you nuts? LOL


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## mihaelb (Feb 11, 2009)

I read that they eat decaying meat. I assume the beta has been on worms (at least partially)...if you target-feed him with pallets for a while, maybe they'll die off on their own?


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

No, internal parasites will eat anything and everything - there are different kinds that survive by eating through different methods. Some will be somewhat benign and feed off whatever food id in the gut/GI tract. Others will latch onto the walls of the GI tract and eat blood/bodily fluids. Some will parasitize organs such as the liver or gills and feed off capillary beds there. Some will burrow throughout the animal and eat whatever it encounters. Some are niche feeders, living only in tissues of the eye, spine, reproductive tract, etc. Some live in places like the gut, and then have mass migrations out of the skin, killing the animal or rendering it full of holes. 

Sounds crappy, no?

Well, it can happen to you too. G'nite!!


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Riceburner said:


> really? wonder if the in-law dairy farmers have any in the barn...hmmm.....





Katalyst said:


> I can see the farmers all scratching their heads now. You want to put in what into your aquarium? Are you nuts? LOL


Probably not - it's not commercially available in Canada and needs to be specially requisitioned from the gov't.

Sunstar, if you want me to send you some prazi (I have a giant bottle with no need for that much), pm me. That stuff is way too expensive from BA - I saw a little 4oz bottle for $20...


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## Katalyst (Jul 29, 2007)

ameekplec. said:


> Probably not - it's not commercially available in Canada and needs to be specially requisitioned from the gov't.


I keep forgetting which country I am in and which laws apply to which lol. Remind me to tell you the story of asking my husband for a dollar about 6 months after I was living here. Talk about confused!

Josie not sure if you have any parasite clear kicking around but it also contains praziquantel just a less concentrated form. Might be worth a shot and its betta & invert safe.


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## Sunstar (Jul 29, 2008)

paracite clear is invert safe? 

I have a bit of that floating around.


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## Sunstar (Jul 29, 2008)

ameekplec. said:


> Sunstar, if you want me to send you some prazi (I have a giant bottle with no need for that much), pm me. That stuff is way too expensive from BA - I saw a little 4oz bottle for $20...


Hey, yeah. How much for some? I could always keep it on hand with my collection of medicines. I like to be well stocked.


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## Katalyst (Jul 29, 2007)

Sunstar said:


> paracite clear is invert safe?
> 
> I have a bit of that floating around.


Yes Ma'am, I have used it many times in a few different experiments. On shrimp, all types of snails without any problems whatsoever. The betta will be just fine.


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

I'd remove your little buddy, then treat the tank as hard as you can.

Your MTS? Just let me know, I'll be happy to refill your stock =)

Planaria suck though. If this is a continued problem, I'd suggest removing your betta elsewhere and stripping your tank (I think planaria can get in the gills etc. of your fish too). Clean everything, including the filter and gravel with hot water and bleach. Leave it all to dry for a week or two, then replace what is necessary, cycle the tank and hopefully they won't return.

Ammonia (overfeeding)and debris often trigger them, but when they get out of control, they are hard to deal with.


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## jrs (Mar 18, 2006)

As odd as this may sound.........I would actually take some from you. I won't make a special trip up there for them but if I do end up there soon I would like some. They are great for regeneration experiments!


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## Sunstar (Jul 29, 2008)

I am sure I can find you some planaria. I just hit the tank with the Parasite clear. But I can set aside a jar with some grimy gravel just for you and them.


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## Mr Fishies (Sep 21, 2007)

Chris S said:


> If this is a continued problem, I'd suggest removing your betta elsewhere and stripping your tank


My $0.02:

I agree with Chris. If I had this issue in a 2.5 G tank I'd move the fish, save the snails I wanted and strip it in a minute. I'm just getting out of a really long, bad batch of substrate complicated, nasty algae filled set up on a 75G wishing it was a 10G or smaller so I could!


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## Katalyst (Jul 29, 2007)

Mr Fishies said:


> My $0.02:
> 
> I agree with Chris. If I had this issue in a 2.5 G tank I'd move the fish, save the snails I wanted and strip it in a minute. I'm just getting out of a really long, bad batch of substrate complicated, nasty algae filled set up on a 75G wishing it was a 10G or smaller so I could!


I'm right there with you Mr. Fishes. I inherited a 36 gallon that was well established over the winter. Brother in law brought it over partially filled and it still had shrimp and fish in it. Being they were neglected for quite a time I didn't want to put them into one of my tanks until they were qt'd and were actually cared for properly. I inherited planaria and hydra's as well.   *shudder* Because I have tiny tatia perugiae's that burrow into driftwood and I'm having a problem moving everyone. As soon as the weather warms up enough & and I have everyone removed this tank and its puke blue gravel is getting nuked! 

Planaria are just pure badness.

Esssh I have the heebie jeebies again.

Maybe we should have a annual tank nuking day mid summer.


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## Sunstar (Jul 29, 2008)

Nukeing is possible. it just...argh.... gonna be irritating. However, if I cant' get the little slimy things under control, I will nuke the tank. 

I will have to drain and Move 9 Aquariums soon. If I have to nuke a tank, that'll be when I do it. Fortunately the largest tank I need to move a tthat time will be the 20 wiht the fry.


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## Sunstar (Jul 29, 2008)

Nuked.

Had a convention of planaria this morning.

Saved some for JRS.


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## Cory_Dad (Apr 18, 2008)

Katalyst said:


> Yes Ma'am, I have used it many times in a few different experiments. On shrimp, all types of snails without any problems whatsoever. The betta will be just fine.


Are we talkin bout Jungle Parasite Clear?

On the box is cautions:

Harmful to crustaceans such as shrimp and crabs.

???????

That's why I've never treated my shrimp tank.


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