Leech in Shrimp Tank

[demicent]

I purchased some new plants, and they arrived a couple of days ago.  Yesterday I found a 2" long, undulating swimmer in the tank, which shrinks down to about 3/4" when stationary.  The tank is brand new, with only water, substrate and the plants I purchased.

Customer service looked at the picture and said it is probably a leech or some type of worm, and is most likely harmless.  I removed the critter.  This tank is going to be exclusively for my Bloody Mary shrimp.  My question is, does anyone have experience with leeches in a shrimp tank?  Although I removed the adult, are there eggs or cysts on my other plants or in the substrate now?

I'd appreciate it if anyone can share their experiences.

[Cory]

The most common leeches we find in the hobby are ones that feed on things like black worms. This tends to not be an issue in aquariums unless you're feeding live black worms often. As without a source of worms they starve out.  Being that plants from farms contain no fish usually, this is why they are the type that survive off worms. As worms do thrive in vats of water and can be brought in by insects etc.

[demicent]

Thanks!  I appreciate the information.  The ick factor was there when I walked by what I thought was an empty tank and saw this thing doing graceful laps.  I can pull my plants back out of the other quarantine tank, and plant them now.  

[WJP]

Hi!  Have you had any other issues with the leeches?  I’m having an infestation in two shrimp tanks ... I pluck out a couple a day but caught one sucking one of my shrimp last week. 

 

They’re truly the spawn of the devil  😂

 

 

[ARMYVET]

I am wondering ....If there was fish in the tank would they eat them? 

[Andy's Fish Den]

1 hour ago, ARMYVET said:

I am wondering ....If there was fish in the tank would they eat them? 

A lot of fish will eat them. I get leeches in with blackworms all the time and I just toss the leeches in with the worms and the fish devour them all.

[ARMYVET]

Thats good to know....are they small enough for guppys to eat them?  Im starting my first guppy pond and I am worried about everything....LOL RIght now I have pictures in my head of a leach hitching a ride on the back of ne of my guppies sucking it dry...😱

[WJP]

@ARMYVET: i did read a thread from a 2006 forum and the OP stated they sucked her Guppies dry .. BUT i also read in that same thread - from every other poster/replier- that leeches in their tanks did not eat their fish ... 

 

i took out my magnifying glass last night and spotted numerous babies in my small shrimp tank so i’m doing an overhaul on it today ... or i may take one of my puffers, acclimate him in and let him get to work.

 

to be specific, my leeches are the Barbronia weberi species AKA the Asian Leech. 

 

 

[ARMYVET]

1 minute ago, Wendy P said:

@ARMYVET: i did read a thread from a 2006 forum and the OP stated they sucked her Guppies dry .. BUT i also read in that same thread - from every other poster/replier- that leeches in their tanks did not eat their fish ... 

 

i took out my magnifying glass last night and spotted numerous babies in my small shrimp tank so i’m doing an overhaul on it today ... or i may take one of my puffers, acclimate him in and let him get to work.

 

to be specific, my leeches are the Barbronia weberi species AKA the Asian Leech. 

 

 

Litterally you have baby leeches?!?  WOW

 

[WJP]

YES. 

 

i’ll record it and try to attach .. i have to do it through the lens of my magnifying glass.  it’s actually quite funny when i go to war with these buttheads .. lots if YAAAAA yelling .. kind of like a sunday football game. 😂 

[The Goatee]

I was gravel vacuuming today and one of these darker brown leeches got sucked up. Never encountered one before. It moved similar to an inch worm in the bucket. The tank has neon tetras, a honey gourami, two mystery snails, two nerite snails, some pond snails, and a couple of assassin snails. Tank has been going almost two months. I assume it would be hard for this thing to impact the fish, but I wonder if will attack the snails? Curious what it would survive on? I feed a variety of foods, but it is mostly flakes and freeze dried stuff, with frozen food once or twice a week and baby brine shrimp couple of times a month.

[CalmedByFish]

That picture looks an awful lot like something that would. not. get. off. my. thumb. It felt like it was hanging on with a tiny spot of very strong suction, though it didn't leave a mark. 

That was a couple days ago, and I hadn't seen that kind of worm in my tank prior. 

Any chance I got "bit" by a leech?

[Guppysnail]

On 7/24/2021 at 9:05 PM, The Goatee said:

I was gravel vacuuming today and one of these darker brown leeches got sucked up. Never encountered one before. It moved similar to an inch worm in the bucket. The tank has neon tetras, a honey gourami, two mystery snails, two nerite snails, some pond snails, and a couple of assassin snails. Tank has been going almost two months. I assume it would be hard for this thing to impact the fish, but I wonder if will attack the snails? Curious what it would survive on? I feed a variety of foods, but it is mostly flakes and freeze dried stuff, with frozen food once or twice a week and baby brine shrimp couple of times a month.

Show me a picture I may be able to tell you. There are indeed leeches that can harm snails. 

[The Goatee]

On 7/24/2021 at 9:22 PM, Guppysnail said:

Show me a picture I may be able to tell you. There are indeed leeches that can harm snails. 

I didn’t think to take one. The leech seemed to fit the description of an asian one though. Mostly solid dark brown. Fairly thin and straight, able to stretch itself two or three times its “resting” length, maybe up to 2 inches fully extended. One end was fatter, the narrow end would stretch and then pull the fatter rear end forward.

[Guppysnail]

On 7/24/2021 at 9:27 PM, The Goatee said:

I didn’t think to take one. The leech seemed to fit the description of an asian one though. Mostly solid dark brown. Fairly thin and straight, able to stretch itself two or three times its “resting” length, maybe up to 2 inches fully extended. One end was fatter, the narrow end would stretch and then pull the fatter rear end forward.

Asian leeches feed on snails shrimp and worms

[Diego]

Just received a shipment of plants from the coop. I have to be honest I am a bit disappointed. I found a Barbronia Weberi leech in one of the plant. I am debating now about using the plants or not.

I have one tank infested by these leeches. I thought they were coming from my LFS, but it seem the coop being the source instead. I tried to get rid of those leeches but there is no easy way once they are in your planted aquarium, expecially if you have an active substrate (rich of organic matter). Unless you have a predator fish like a gourami or bigger, they are going to multiplicate and compete against snails and shrimps for food.

I tried most of the chemicals you use to dip-clean plants. I restarted the tank, got rid of substrate, bleached the tank and decor, dip plants in bleach solution. No luck. One must have survived and repopulated the tank. Eggs are even stronger than the animals, so a visual inspection of the plants is not enough. Dewormers are not effective, salt is effective but only at concentrations which will kill your plant first. 

Are they dangerous? Well certainly they are an invasive specie. I believe they are mainly detritivores, but they can be quite aggressive for food. I had to create raised areas where I place food for my shrimps. Shrimps have no chance in getting food once the food is down on the substrate. Snails are just hopeless against those fast moving leeches. I tried using traps to catch them but you will never get them all.

Lastly, they are extremely unplesant to look at and not at all shy.