Tom H Posted July 25, 2021 Share Posted July 25, 2021 Can anyone identify what this is and if I need to get rid of it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odd Duck Posted July 25, 2021 Share Posted July 25, 2021 It is a hydra and whether you need to get rid of it depends on what you have in the tank. They can apparently take tiny fry and shrimplets. Anything much larger shouldn’t be an issue. Treating is usually by adding fish that will eat them. Supposedly pond snails and maybe bladder snails will eat them. They can also be treated with fenbendazole or No Planaria. I see them sporadically but haven’t had to do anything but add bladder snails to the tank and they disappear eventually. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom H Posted July 25, 2021 Author Share Posted July 25, 2021 This is my first experience with it so I just wanted to make sure. I do have platy fry so I'll look into medicine. I have ramshorn and a few bladder snails so 🤞 that they'll help. Thanks! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trish Posted July 25, 2021 Share Posted July 25, 2021 Don't squash it as they regenerate. I've only had them in my quarantine tank and think they must have hitchhiked with some shrimp I bought. Still in there and I tend to use a small syphon to suck them off the glass when I see them. Nothing out of that tank goes anywhere near the other tanks! https://aquariumbreeder.com/hydra-in-a-shrimp-tank-treatment/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom H Posted July 25, 2021 Author Share Posted July 25, 2021 The Co Op has a good blog post I found so I am doing what they said in it and I'm starving out my fish for a few days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted July 25, 2021 Share Posted July 25, 2021 (edited) Starving them out helps. They will form cysts that go dormant until an appropriate food is reintroduced. Thoroughly gavel vacuuming once they go dormant helps keep numbers in check. Powdered food/fry food bacteria ae shrimp fit shrimp baby and any foods that are high in yeast will re-stimulate them. They are attracted to yeast and gluthionine(spelling? I find them now and again but mine never get out of control. They do get active when I have fry. quick fix i use in my fry tanks that are overstimulated remove hard decor spray hydrogen peroxide rinse return. It does not eliminate the problem but holds down numbers until I’m through the powdered food stage. I have done the same with a plant or 2 but only for a second or two so it does not hurt the plant. Anything that will in tank kill hydra will kill all snails Guppies and I believe mollies will eat hydra. I have them in my shrimp tank. Most people have them but never even notice they stay so small until fed. they are not as big if a deal as you may think. They are part of nature. Good tank maintenance keeps them at bay. Cory did a video on them. I don’t know how to link but here is a pic of the video🤪 Edited July 25, 2021 by Guppysnail Horrible typing errors 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobbie Posted July 25, 2021 Share Posted July 25, 2021 https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/hydra 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Streetwise Posted July 25, 2021 Share Posted July 25, 2021 @Daniel has convinced many of us to stop worrying about interesting little hitchhiking organisms in our tanks. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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