Dog Dewormer for killing Planaria/Hydra

[Sounguru]

Well I figured I would post this up now that the enough time has gone by to make sure all results are final.

First off here is the article about how to use it.
Use of Dewormer (Fenbendazole)
By Richard Lien, Neonshrimp

Here is a disscussion thread on it that was started over at Arizona Inverts that might answer a few questions Disscussion Thread

Here are my results:

• All Planaria Dead.....
• Ramshorns Fine
• MTS Fine
• Bladders Fine
• Scuds Fine
• Crays Fine
• Worms on Crays killed
• Nerites Highly senstive I did not leave mine in long enough to see if he would die but he was in obvious distress
• Apple/Mystery Snail introduced after dosing had ended but before any water changes he has vanished so all I can figure is he crawled up under something and died. I can not say at this point if the dewormer is the casue but that is my leaning. I still need to dose one more tank and will be able to give a firmer answer at that time. Only problem is that the # of Planaria is dropping in this tank since adding the Apple/Mystery snails

So in conclusion this works like a champ but I found I needed to dose .3 of a gram to make a full kill off in my 10 gallon tanks. Now I had no Hydra but I understand that they die of at a lower dose.

Disscussion and questions welcome.

 

[Sounguru]

Oh one more thing all fish mainly guppies and mollies survived with no stress at all.

 

[jamesstill84]

I just dosed my tanks this weekend with the same chemical. I had no loses. All Brigs, MTS, Pond Snails, Ottos, Nerites, Ramshorns, Crays, and Cherry Shrimp survived without any affects.

 

[Sounguru]

Watch the Nerites and Brigs they will not show signs right away but will become sluggish and possibly die over time.

It is recommended that you leave the chemical in the tank for 2+ weeks to make sure you get all the planaria. Once they sense the chemical they will bury themselves and will not come up again until it is clear or the levels in the substrate are toxic too. I had Planaria I didn't know I had coming out of the substrate and other places after a week.

 

[Hurley]

I'm just curious but....

Is there a reason you are using chemicals when cutting back feedings to the tank will yield the same results? I've dealt with both in the past and found that limiting the food in the tank clears up the problem pretty quickly.

 

[jamesstill84]

I had a hydra explosion in my tank that came from plants that I purchased recently. I have shrimp that are about ready to release their babies, so I had to kill off the hydras quickly.

It's been 5 days since I dosed my tank and the Nerites are still going...

 

[Sounguru]

I'm just curious but....

Is there a reason you are using chemicals when cutting back feedings to the tank will yield the same results? I've dealt with both in the past and found that limiting the food in the tank clears up the problem pretty quickly.

In shrimp breeding tanks and also in snail breeding tanks a lot of food can be left behind by the critters in the tank since feeding more often is needed. Also when running a sand substrate with live plants there is a constant food source for them without feeding anything since the siphoning the bottom is not a good idea due to it being sand and also the fact of losing very small animals. The palnted nature also makes it really difficult to remove any food that has reached the bottom and the dead vegatation is also another source of food. Also Planaria can and will attack shrimp fry and the same applies to hydra.

I had a hydra explosion in my tank that came from plants that I purchased recently. I have shrimp that are about ready to release their babies, so I had to kill off the hydras quickly.

It's been 5 days since I dosed my tank and the Nerites are still going...

What was your dosage level? Mine didn't start showing stess until around day 8 or so, but I was going after planaria so my dosage levels were probably higher than yours.

 

[jamesstill84]

I only used about the size of a BB. It was dissolved in tank water and then we dosed it a spoonful at a time over a couple of hours. We've found only a couple hydras left and almost no planaria. After a large water change, I may dose just a small amount to kill off the last of the hydra before they multiply again.

 

[Yadokari]

Any info on Dewormer vs:
Cyclops?
Nematodes?

So far, from what I read, it definitely kills Hydra and Planaria. What other pests can this medicine eradicate?

 

[bluekrissyspike]

In shrimp breeding tanks and also in snail breeding tanks a lot of food can be left behind by the critters in the tank since feeding more often is needed. Also when running a sand substrate with live plants there is a constant food source for them without feeding anything since the siphoning the bottom is not a good idea due to it being sand and also the fact of losing very small animals. The palnted nature also makes it really difficult to remove any food that has reached the bottom and the dead vegatation is also another source of food. Also Planaria can and will attack shrimp fry and the same applies to hydra.

i have no problems doing vacs in any of my sand tanks, not even my shrimp breeding tank. cover the end of the syphin with nylon and 'twirl' it in small circles just above the surface. i find this works well to suck up any debris without sucking any/much the sand out. the nylon keeps the babies from getting sucked in. the baby shrimp usually move away on their own