Question about hydra

P

Pat from Quebec

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May 10, 2011
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Montreal
Real Name
Patrick
Hi all,

I just noticed some hydras in my 14g tank. I don't know how it got in my tank. I supposed it comes from one of the plant. I had read that without live food, it would not survive a long time. I have never use live food in that tank since it is a newly set tank (6 weeks).

Can I touch hydras and just take them off manually or will I get stung like fish do ? That might be a stupid question but...

Thanks
 
How big, and how many? What fish are in there?

You can remove them manually--they will 'sting' you, but it won't penetrate your skin enough to hurt. Problem is that they're likely all over your tank, and you won't be able to find them all to remove them.

They don't require live food, they will happily eat detritus and leftover fish food, but keep in mind that the plants that introduced the hydra may well have introduced daphnia or other small critters.

I'd try not feeding the tank for 5 days, see if that knocks them out (unless you have fry). There are chemical treatments, too, and many fish will eat them, but it's best to treat the problem rather than band-aid it.
 
They are pretty small and I have maybe around 10 to 15 on some plants and driftwood. I currently have 2 otocinclus, 3 Amano's shrimp and 1 L136B pleco inspector.

I read that Blue Gouramis would eat them but they get too big for my tank. I might try with Dwarf Gouramis but that would change what I had in mind for that tank. In fact, I would like to had some RCS, 7 Galaxy Rasboras (Celestial Pearl Danio) and some Corydoras (either Habrosus or Panda).
 
I am taking a guess, but yoyos might eat them, as they eat snails???
But, you would have to take them out eventually as they need a 40G + tank.
 
Truly, getting a fish to solve the problem would be my last choice. Try not feeding, see if they go away.
 
1) They cannot sting you
2) If they do not get food, they cannot multiply.
3) What size tank, if Gouramis is too big.
4) They only can eat baby fish, so they are not a big worry.
 
You can kill them individually wuth an eyedropper and hydrogen peroxide. A small squirt will do it, and it's harmless to your fish, plants, etc. if a bit time-consuming. Asolene spixi snails will also eat them, but may be hard to find up North.
 
Is it hydra season or something? Several threads on the little guys. I had an outbreak. Killed all my shrimp and fry in the tank. I didn't feed for a week, did every other day water changes, scraping them off the glass...still they persisted and even moved to another tank. Dosed with fendbendazole (dog dewormer bought at LFS) on Friday. Didn't see any yesterday before work but lights were out.Anxious to see if there are any there today.
From what I have read the fendbendazole erradicates them after 1-2 doses.
 
I believe levamazole and its relatives (as suggested) get rid of it as does a product called No-Planaria which is derived from the betel-nut.
Im currently plagued with it esp in my rainbow raising tanks,Im currently trying to get hold of the latter product which apparently is snail and shrimp safe
 
Tanker,

My tank is a 14g Biocube.

Toddnbecka,

You're right about snails up north, The only one I have seen are Horned Armour Snails.

I was looking at my tank last night and saw more little critters in the back corner of the tank. Some little worm like creatures (they are really small) and some little bugs big as a needle head. I guess this will be " live food " for my futur fish. I will probably try to take the some of the hydras out by hand while doing my water change.
 
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