# Ostracods-is it worth trying to get rid of them?



## eb16 (Sep 28, 2009)

I've got a large tank (about 28US gal) half filled with water. It's going to house 4 Japanese fire-bellied newts and some cherry shrimps. I started the tank a couple of months ago while the newts were still terrestrial. They have grown a lot and I think they'll be ready for the big tank soon.
The tank has bare bottom at the moment with a couple of plants in glass dishes with plant substrate and gravel. I managed to get brown algae, planaria and ostracods already. Brown algae is pretty much gone now and planaria were exterminated by Panacur (thanks to the advice on this forum).
I'd like to re-do the tank now because I don't like the bare bottom. I want to have plant substrate and sand (can't have gravel because of the newts) with large stones.

I would like to know if it's worth trying to get rid of the ostracods while changing the set-up. I really hate them because they are actually eating my plants. If not I would just change the bottom of the tank while using the plants, substrate and filter (Fluval mini) as they are so it would be cycled. Does anyone have any experience with this? How would I go about this if it's worth the effort (chemicals, boiling...how could the plants and the filter be cleaned...?)

Thanks for your help!


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## telephasic (Oct 5, 2009)

I really doubt Ostracods are eating your plants, as they are suspension feeders, IIRC. 

That said, all you really need to do is put some reasonably small fish into the tanks for a few weeks, and they'll be gone. In my experience, it's impossible to keep up significant numbers if there are any fish in the tanks at all. Although the newts will probably be too big to bother with them. 

The newts will probably eat the cherry shrimp however.


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## eb16 (Sep 28, 2009)

I think the ostracods might be eating and damaging the plants out of desperation because there is no food for them (as nothing except them lives in the tank at the moment so no feeding...). There's loads of them.
Newts and shrimps should be ok together as newts are not particularly good hunters. It wouldn't be a big problem if they did catch a shrimp once in a while anyway. 
I can't add fish to the tank because from what I've read fish and newts don't mix and I don't have another tank. I'd simply have to get rid of the fish afterwards (I couldn't just use the poor animals and throw them away...). Even though I just found out *White Cloud Minnows* could live with the newts (peaceful, don't mind cold water).Would they eat the ostracods, too?
Otherwise I suppose it's either start again (I don't want to buy new stuff so how could I clean it) or just ignore the ostracods...


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