Scuds Eating Plants?

[Greg H]

I am a relatively new aquarist getting back into the hobby with over 4 months into this tank. I posted over a month ago with the question of whether or not scuds that ended in my tank (probably from LFS) were beneficial. I understand that they help break down mulm and detritus but that some species eat plants. It’s apparent that they have taken significant hold in my eco complete and I rarely see them unless I gravel vac or add root tabs. I have also taken apparent my canister filter and noticed them in there as well. 
 

The other day I noticed one on top of my crypt spiralis and then days later started seeing what appeared to be sections of my plants missing (attached in picture) that don’t appear to be plant deficiency’s. I even noticed a section of my Java fern chewed as well. I only have 5 CPDs, 5 chili rasboras, Amano shrimp, and a reticulated hill stream loach. 
 

I have been wanting to upgrade to a 20 long from my current 10 gal for a while and was planning on instant cycling with all my substrate and filter media but am seriously considering starting all from scratch being that I know it’s next to impossible to rid your tank of these once there in. My two primary questions after all this are as follows:

Has anyone else experienced this issue?

If you started over, how did you transfer your plants and hardscape to make sure that they did not infest your next tank? Did you get new filter media as well?

[DShelton]

Scuds absolutely will eat plant matter. There is a video from Charles@Goliad Farms where he talks about his scud cultures, and how they devour the floating hornwort.

[eatyourpeas]

Scuds are beneficial if you have predators in the tank that can keep the population in check. They breed super fast and will eat plants. I keep them in a different tank and feed them to my pea puffers and betta, but only what can be consumed.

[DShelton]

28 minutes ago, eatyourpeas said:

pea puffers

I had not thought about scuds for the pea puffers. Great idea!

[Greg H]

Appreciate your responses @DShelton,@eatyourpeas   I’m moving in a week and am going to start up my 20 long. Any thoughts if I should start from scratch with my filter media? Any ideas for making sure plants transfer without these hitch hikers?

[DShelton]

Are there any fish in the tank? They should help keeping the inverts in check.

What is your biomedia in your filter? You could give it a bleach soak, or a boil to kill off any inverts if that is route you want to take.

Personally that is route i would go, try to get a healthy fish load with the plants in the tank. It would help keep the detritus in check, feed the fish, keep them active hunting, and overall make for a healthy ecosystem. Something that likes to hang out on the bottom, like an pair of Apistogramma or Mikrogeophagus would likely keep the scuds to a manageable level and overall lead to a healthy ecosystem.

 

 

[eatyourpeas]

It depends on how far you are going. You can save the media and keep it wet for a few hours, but beyond that I am afraid I do not know.

Scuds are very good at flattening themselves by laying on their sides, so they sneak pretty easily. You could also give your plants a quick dip in H2O2 to kill any hitchhikers.

[Greg H]

Thanks. I’m on the fence still. We spend so much time trying to make our plants look amazing and it’s hard to watch these scuds eat them away even though I know they are good for your substrate