Will Plecos take care of Hydra???
- Thread starter sly2kusa
- Start date
plecostomus will not eat hydra. The majority of Hydra reach sizes between 0.25 to 2.5cm (0.1" - 1"). They are usually tan or brown in colour, and are usually difficult to spot, unless your tank is heavily infested. They are usually confused with worms.
Hydra do not 'swim' per se, however they are capable of floating from one location to another. They will anchor to a spot where there is an ongoing supply of food, or they will just float around in the water. They anchor themselves to their surrounding environment by their 'foot', from where they catch and kill their prey. In the aquarium they can attach to things like gravel, vegetation, stones or filtration equipment.
Hydra prey on small crustaceans, worms, insect larvae or fry. Therefore they are usually associated with tanks raising fry. They are capable of killing fry from 10 to 15mm (0.4"-0.6"). Larger fry that are trapped but manage to escape will most likely die anyway, as an after affect of the Hydras stinging cells. Tanks that feed a lot of live brine shrimp can attract Hydra as well.
Hydra can be introduced into an aquarium by live food, snails, driftwood or water collected from natural waterways. A tank that possesses Hydra is not an unhealthy tank, as Hydra do not survive in poor water quality. However, a well looked after fish tank will not provide enough food to sustain large amount of Hydra.
If your fish tank has a Hydra infestation, salt is useful for the erradication at 0.3-0.5 % for five days. if that doesn't work, there are three products that can be used to remove them. Dactycid, Flubenol and Panacur.
To reduce and hopefully eliminate Hydra numbers, increase both frequency and amount of water changes, stop overfeeding and get that gravel vacuum working.
Hydra do not 'swim' per se, however they are capable of floating from one location to another. They will anchor to a spot where there is an ongoing supply of food, or they will just float around in the water. They anchor themselves to their surrounding environment by their 'foot', from where they catch and kill their prey. In the aquarium they can attach to things like gravel, vegetation, stones or filtration equipment.
Hydra prey on small crustaceans, worms, insect larvae or fry. Therefore they are usually associated with tanks raising fry. They are capable of killing fry from 10 to 15mm (0.4"-0.6"). Larger fry that are trapped but manage to escape will most likely die anyway, as an after affect of the Hydras stinging cells. Tanks that feed a lot of live brine shrimp can attract Hydra as well.
Hydra can be introduced into an aquarium by live food, snails, driftwood or water collected from natural waterways. A tank that possesses Hydra is not an unhealthy tank, as Hydra do not survive in poor water quality. However, a well looked after fish tank will not provide enough food to sustain large amount of Hydra.
If your fish tank has a Hydra infestation, salt is useful for the erradication at 0.3-0.5 % for five days. if that doesn't work, there are three products that can be used to remove them. Dactycid, Flubenol and Panacur.
To reduce and hopefully eliminate Hydra numbers, increase both frequency and amount of water changes, stop overfeeding and get that gravel vacuum working.
I wouldn't trust a fish to eat hydra. Hydroids are related to corals, anemones, and jellyfish so they also contain the same stinging cells (nematocysts). I've been hit by them in mud and they HURT! There may be some parasitic forms of them, but all I've seen are free-living.
they are pretty cool, especially when they bend toward their prey to catch it. but, WOW, do they pack a punch! I was stunned, really thought a jellyfish had gotten me.
I've never even had any anemones do that to me. Some corals, tho.
I've never even had any anemones do that to me. Some corals, tho.