# Shrimp tank infested with pests... Do I treat them or tear down and clean?



## Bunny (Oct 13, 2013)

I somehow managed to get my shrimp tank absolutely infested with pests. I've got planaria, hydra, and some unidentified green bug that tends to hang on the sand and walls. I've also got pond snails and a remarkable amount of algae on my tank walls.

What do you all advise I do? I've cut back on feeding a little as I suspect thats what lead to the outbreaks in the first place, but I don't know if that will starve the bugs out sufficiently.

Anyone have any advise on what to do about all this?

I know about no planaria for them, but from what I have read, the hydra are more difficult to kill without killing the shrimp (I've also got babies constantly), and I just flat out have no idea what the green bugs are...

If the consensus is to tear down and clean, how do you all advise I clean my plants? I dont want to kill any shrimp hiding in them, but I'd like to kill the pests off - the one I'm most concerned about is my mass of riccia. Although I suppose I could just float it in my main tank after rinsing it a few times to get shrimp out...


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## dwarf_puffer (Apr 25, 2010)

Hydras are nasty. I had a simular issue a few years back with the entire gang of pests. Talk to Pat (Mykiss) and he has the no planaria start with that. When i used it, it killed most of the hydras with the exception of a few bigger ones which I just manually squished  After leaving the final dose in for a few extra days they were gone. After about the second day if you don't see a major decrease in them try getting a small UV sterilizer. I wouldnt start running it until after the third day of the treatment though! Although this might not kill what you already have it defiantly will prevent it from getting worse and a few days of squishing the remaining hydras while running the UV my tank got was clear. If all else fails retreat with no planaria. Its super safe Ive used it before with king kongs blue bolts and red rubies and never lost a shrimp. Im not sure if I have with babies but honestly if you let the hydras get bad you wont have any babies at all as they hydra eat new hatched shrimp. hope this helps 

edit : I wouldnt bother with a tear down. They will be in all of your filter media, all over your plants, deep in your substrate...everywhere.You'll spend countless hours and in a week they will be back. Plus chances are you will do more damage to your shrimp killing off beneficial bacteria than if you just leave it as it is.


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## Bunny (Oct 13, 2013)

Okay, sounds like a plan 

So No planaria should deal with my planaria and hydra, I've heard it can harm snails - which is good...

But what about my mystery green bugs...?

they are about 1-1.5 mm long, and about half that wide, shaped like an oval with slightly pointed ends... also slightly varied in colour, light green all over, but with a few darker patches.

edit: after searching google (again) I think there is a possibility they might be seed shrimp...? not entirely sure though.


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## dwarf_puffer (Apr 25, 2010)

Yeah sorry Im not an expert by any means  The no planaria works on quite a few "bugs" I've found though so maybe you will get lucky? Chances are they are just light green due to eating the algae off the walls though so keep that in mind on your search. Chances are they are translucent so dont rule that out when your trying to identify. Additionally the UV filter will help with algae most defintly ( you will have to manually remove what is already on/in the tank first). Run it for a few days to a week then take it out and just use it to "polish" the water every once and a while from there on. Bit expensive but well worth it IMO.


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## rescuepenguin (Apr 21, 2010)

I've experienced Hydra, planaria, and pond snails. You are right your symptoms are over feeding. For the hydra and snails i've put a container of salt water (go crazy on salt) next to aquarium and pulled them out with a turkey baster. I had to nudge the hydra with the baster to loosen its grip. Then suck it and or snails into the baster then into the salt water. The sting from the hydra can temp. paralize baby shrimp. When a planaria eats a hydra the stinging cells can get transfered to the out skin of the planaria.

When food supply is reduced enough the planeria will die and the shrimp will eat them. The stuff MyKiss sells works great as an option.
I want to get some live food from him, but don't know if I can get to his place by bus.

As for the green dudes, I'm lost there, can't even think of what they are.


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## Bobsidd (Dec 28, 2012)

As far as planaria goes, I made a simple trap (I copied one I saw on another site, made by shift). I thought I had a few planaria in the tank, but in 30 minutes it looked like this...



I could not believe how effective this was. I will bait and reset each day for a week or so and see how it goes. Not sure whether it will work for hydra or other pests.

Hope this helps. 
Rob


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## Captured Moments (Apr 22, 2010)

You can google info on killing planaria and hydra using a canine dewormer, panacur, fenbendazole, mebendazole...


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## Bunny (Oct 13, 2013)

Bobsidd said:


> As far as planaria goes, I made a simple trap (I copied one I saw on another site, made by shift). I thought I had a few planaria in the tank, but in 30 minutes it looked like this...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That seems awesome - what did you use to bait it? The shrimp ignored the bait? I've got babies that would be capable of getting in...


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## Bobsidd (Dec 28, 2012)

I used a couple of brine shrimp as bait. The shrimp were interested, but there were no babies in there when I removed it. You could always try to fish out any shrimp that get stuck in there too. I'm hoping that this, plus reducing feeding will be the end of these little devils.


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