# Planaria-Eating fish?



## capricorn77

Hello,
I've looked through this forum and many have said that their fish eat Planaria. 

I have a pretty big infestation of Planaria, and I only have 6 guppies, a lone neon tetra, and some ottos in my 15 gallon. 

However, I have never seen the guppies nor the neon tetra eat the Planaria. If one falls towards the substrate, I'll see the guppies bite the Planaria, but promptly spits them out. 

So, what sort of fish would eat Planria? 

Also, I've noticed the Planaira like to float on the water surface in the morning. So I usually end up using my puthon to siphon all the floating Planaria out. But this is a daily routine, and would like this to stop soon. 

Any suggestions???


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## Phish

cut your feeding in half. They will go away on there own.


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## capricorn77

Phish said:


> cut your feeding in half. They will go away on there own.


Already have. Actually, I've cut my feeding down to only once or twice a week now. 

It consists of a small pinch of flake food, and a couple of sinking pellets for the Ottos...that's it.


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## Phish

For how long have you cut down the feeding? I had a HUGE planaria problem in my shrimp/guppy tank. When I cut the feeding down it still took a good month or so for me not to see any of those buggers.


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## capricorn77

Phish said:


> For how long have you cut down the feeding? I had a HUGE planaria problem in my shrimp/guppy tank. When I cut the feeding down it still took a good month or so for me not to see any of those buggers.


That long? Guess I'll just keep doing what I've been doing for now then...

It is kinda nice that the Planaria would float on the water surface in the morning. Then I just siphon them out.

Oh well, was hoping to get some suggestions on what fish can help accelerate this elimination process...


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## Nue

My Sparkling Gourami take care of them. So did my Pearl Danios. But, so did my Neon Tetras.....


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## Phish

When I first saw this thread I was all 'whoa, planaria can *eat* fish!?!?'


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## chad320

a Betta.


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## Cuchulainn

Phish said:


> When I first saw this thread I was all 'whoa, planaria can *eat* fish!?!?'


LMAO:hihi:


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## Nue

Have you thought of treating them with dog de-wormer, Ive successfully done it many times.


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## capricorn77

Nue said:


> Have you thought of treating them with dog de-wormer, Ive successfully done it many times.


I know, I do have some panacur on hand. I was just hoping not to have to use it. 
Never used it, have no idea what it'll do to the fish, the shrimp, and the bio-filter/beneficial bacteria. 

Since you've used it many times before, what were your observations? No impacts to any of the things I mentioned?


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## capricorn77

Phish said:


> When I first saw this thread I was all 'whoa, planaria can *eat* fish!?!?'


Haha! Apologies for the way I named the thread title. :icon_redf


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## dr.tran

Pancur is awesome can take care of them all at once and never affected shrimp fish or filter for me


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## capricorn77

Well, I guess I'll have to take the plunge and just do it and see what happens...


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## Nue

dr.tran said:


> Pancur is awesome can take care of them all at once and never affected shrimp fish or filter for me



+1 I had no side effects. But i used safeguard.


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## Sharkfood

Apistos eat them. Actually, probably any bottom dwelling predator would. Are you sure the ottos are eating the pellets? If not, that's probably the major food source for the planaria.


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## capricorn77

Sharkfood said:


> Apistos eat them. Actually, probably any bottom dwelling predator would. Are you sure the ottos are eating the pellets? If not, that's probably the major food source for the planaria.


Hard to tell, but I do see my ottos all seem to have nice, fat, round bellies roud:


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## Michael in Texas

Sharkfood said:


> Apistos eat them. Actually, probably any bottom dwelling predator would. Are you sure the ottos are eating the pellets? If not, that's probably the major food source for the planaria.


My A. borelli ignore them.


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## newbieplanter

I would go with the dewormer an I think it's like 2-4ml per 10gals, please don't quote me tho I do know there was a post on here about how much to use. Good luck!


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## Lorenzoawesome

well the planaria just attacked and killed my shrimp! the shrimp was molting and a planaria attacked it! Gonna try that dewormer!


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