# Hydra spp.



## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

Anyone have experience with these? I found a website about them while looking for info:

http://www.northern.edu/natsource/INVERT1/Hydra1.htm

I found a couple on my tank glass after collecting some local plants and not dis-infecting them. :frusty: (I can see Tex Gal shaking her finger at me and saying "I told you so!" ) 
I don't see them being a problem since I'm pretty certain there is nothing in my aquarium they can eat (the two I saw were 2mm in length and looked like algae until I put a 15X magnifying glass on them).

-Dave


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## krisw (Jan 31, 2005)

I just got rid of a batch of Hydras myself after getting them in a fry tank that I was feeding heavily to encourage growth. Apparently, it's fairly common for that to happen. I got rid of mine using Aquari-sol and H2O2, although, I'd just try H202 by itself first.

Here's a picture of ones in my tank:


Here's my experience:
http://www.guitarfish.org/2008/09/06/attack-of-the-hydra


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

Cool photo, and thanks for sharing th eexperience! 

I think I'm going to let them be for now. From what I'm reading they will die off, or at least not grow/multiply, if they don't have a reliable food source (and they don't have that in this aquarium...that I know of). I don't have any fry or fry-sized foods for them to eat.


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## krisw (Jan 31, 2005)

I'd take 'em out just so you don't inadvertently transfer them to some other hobbyist when you give out plants, etc... I imagine they might survive on infursoria or the like. Just squirt some hydrogen peroxide (or maybe even Seachem Excel) on them, and watch them shrivel up. ;-)


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

krisw said:


> I'd take 'em out just so you don't inadvertently transfer them to some other hobbyist when you give out plants, etc... I imagine they might survive on infursoria or the like. Just squirt some hydrogen peroxide (or maybe even Seachem Excel) on them, and watch them shrivel up. ;-)


Ahh...VERY good point! #-o Then, "peroxide to the rescue!" . 

-Dave


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

Do you have any other inverts in the tank?


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

Cavan Allen said:


> Do you have any other inverts in the tank?


No, unless you count the snails (pond snails, ramshorn, trumpet...all "magically" appeared when I set the tank up).

Are you thinking the peroxide will kill these as well and create a bio-load issue?


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

I was thinking you could use fluke tabs. That will get rid of them quickly. The snails should be OK if you do water changes afterward.

OK with shrimp? Ehhh..... That would be risky, but you don't have any, so don't sweat it.


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

Oh, okay. Thanks, Cavan.


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## Sunstar (Sep 17, 2008)

I currently have two tanks I carelessly got infected wiht some plants. I am trying to treat it using that panacur method. 

They're ticking me off.


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

Sunstar said:


> I currently have two tanks I carelessly got infected wiht some plants. I am trying to treat it using that panacur method.
> 
> They're ticking me off.


My wife is bringing me home some generic fluke med this evening and I am preparing to nuke them. I almost don't want to. The majority are the green kind (that have a symbiotic relationship with an algae) and are 'supposed to be rare'. In fact, I don't see ANY of the white ones anymore.

I think if I were to never sell or give away plants that I would just let them stay since they don't bother anything. But, I hate to throw out trimmings when there is always someone who needs a little this-or-that. So, these little devils will soon be toast.

What's the panacur method?

-Dave


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## Sunstar (Sep 17, 2008)

I found it on this site. that and the plant finder thingy attracted me here.

The panacur method thingy

it's been a couple hours and they're dying in the small tank. they're letting go of the side and drifting with barely a twitch. So far, so good.


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## Sunstar (Sep 17, 2008)

I thought I would update the progress with my de-hydra-ation experement.

So far the small tank, which is my 5.5 gallon, and prolly got a bit more than 0.05 grams of the medication is free of living hydra. The Macrobrachium Pilimanus in there is doing well. 

The Main tank, 25 gallon, I used 0.15 grams of panacur. Planaria are upset for sure, I've seen them moving around for the first time in months. There are still hydra but they don't look very happy. 

All other animals seem quite happy.


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

I used a all-in-one fish med (for "gill flukes, anchor worms, ich, and fungal diseases" ) . I did not pay attention to the main ingrediant, but I know it was not the same as Panacur (it started with "M" ) . I doubled the dose (two packs per 10 gallons) and waited 24 hrs. 

It's been four days now and I can't find any survivors, and none of my fish or snails seemed bothered. Hopefully this got them, but I'm still not confident enough to say they are gone for good. If I can't find any for a couple more weeks, I'll consider them all dead. 

This treatment cost me $13.50 (the whole contents of the box) for a 50 gal tank. Is that about what the Panacur would have run me? Is two weeks long enough to not see any and consider the hydra "gone" ?

-Dave


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## Sunstar (Sep 17, 2008)

I used barely a single package of Panacur in my two tanks. I have plenty left over incase of a reinfection. Panacur cost me about the same. No illeffects on my fish or shrimp and the hydra cannot be found.


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## Sunstar (Sep 17, 2008)

How's the hydra going? Mine appear to be totally gone now.


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## krisw (Jan 31, 2005)

Mine are gone too. H2O2 did the trick for me no problem.


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

Yep, all gone. And what's funny is that the med I used is an anitbiotic. (My wife is a nurse and she said they use it in drip when someone comes in and they have something that normal antibiotics aren't getting rid of. It's supposed to kill EVERYTHING, so I'm sure I lost all beneficial bacteria as well. ) The chemical name starts with M, the med was labaled for...everyhting.

Anyway, all the hydra are gone now.


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## Sunstar (Sep 17, 2008)

Exellent. Should try to remember the name and your dosage + affects. This info would be useful to other shrimpers.


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

Sunstar said:


> Exellent. Should try to remember the name and your dosage + affects. This info would be useful to other shrimpers.


Okay, you'll have to excuse the spelling if it's wrong. The box just said it was for "gill flukes, anchor worms, ich, and fungal diseases". The actice ingredient is the antibiotic Metronidazole (spelling? ) and the trade name you hear in hospitals is "Flagyl".

It came in 10 packets in powder form. Recommended dose was 1 pack to 10 gallons, wait 48 hours, then do it again. I put in double that (all 10 packs in a 50 gal) and checked back 24 hrs later. I haven't seen a hydra since. Did not see any stress from snails or fish. *I do not have shrimp*, and would not have double-dosed if I did.

-Dave


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

davemonkey said:


> I found a couple on my tank glass after collecting some local plants and not dis-infecting them. :frusty: *(I can see Tex Gal shaking her finger at me and saying "I told you so!" ) *
> -Dave


Yesssss! Glad you got rid of them. Note to self: "DIP, DIP, DIP!"


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## Sunstar (Sep 17, 2008)

I think my issue was water lettuce that was infected.


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