# Snail and Planaria outbreak - no feeding



## DMtankd (Dec 2, 2009)

I set up a new 8 gallon about two months ago- high light, pressurized CO2, ADA aquasoil I, heavily planted. Inhabitants are 6 CRS and 2 ottos. The tank did have snails from the start (came in on the plants). 

I have not fed anything since setting up the tank. Ottos and CRS are living off the algae and other micros. 

I do a 50% water change weekly. 

However, the snails, even with me removing them as I see them, are becoming prolific. On top of that, in the last few days, I am seeing planaria on the glass. Both of these I understand tend to proliferate when overfeeding. However, as I said, I have fed absolutely nothing since setting up the tank. Im also starting to see BBA which I understand some believe comes from high levels of organics.

I've been running purigen in my filter for 3 weeks now.

Does anyone have any thoughts on what these snails and planaria are eating? I am wondering if the Aquasoil is leaching organics and contributing to this somehow? Any guidance would be much appreciated.


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## zxc (Nov 10, 2009)

PLANARIA could come in the plant you use.


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## gordonrichards (Jun 20, 2009)

You're going to have to kill the planaria, or they'll kill your shrimp.

Purchase some panacur, fenbenzadole is what you're looking for.
Get the powder packets, cost is like 6.00 on e-bay

Treat the tank with small amounts of it every day for three days.

Do a 15% water change on the 3rd day.
Wait one week.

Treat the tank again for three days, do another water change.

Planaria can hide out within the substrate of your tank, eventually they'll get poisoned though.


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## DMtankd (Dec 2, 2009)

Oh wow. Didn't realize they'd hurt the shrimp. Everything I'd read said they were harmless. I guess harmless unless you have shrimp?

I'll do the treatment ASAP.

I guess these things came in with the aquasoil or the plants 2 months ago and are just now showing up. Nothing aside from ferts has gone in since the initial setup. Weird.

I guess the planaria are snacking on my shrimp. The question remains, what are all these snails eating?


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## jasonpatterson (Apr 15, 2011)

DMtankd said:


> I guess the planaria are snacking on my shrimp. The question remains, what are all these snails eating?


I don't know if it's a particular variety of planaria that I've seen do it, but when I've scooped up a bunch of pond muck and put it in a tank to watch I see them eating snails not infrequently. I'm always amazed when they manage to get one, but it happens fairly regularly from what I've seen. 

As far as the snails go, algae, bacteria films, shrimp poop, whatever they can get their radula on.


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## vespers_ (May 6, 2011)

the snails (ponds?) most likely eating dead plant matter (sometimes they eat live plant matter) or dead shrimp/otos, which is actually kind of a good thing because they'll keep the tank clean... they will only get out of hand if they have enough to eat. so, either something died or you have lots of dead plants if you haven't been feeding.

as for the planaria, they eat detritus and rotting meat. i have never heard of them actively hunting for food though (they are scavengers) and i highly doubt they will attack your shrimp. i don't even think they possess anything to attack with... they could be eating already dead shrimp or fish though.

also, can i ask why you aren't feeding you shrimp and otos? an 8 gal is not really big enough to support a few otos and shrimp on algae alone.


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## salmon (Apr 14, 2011)

having the exact same problem in my two nano tanks, never noticed them till yesterday when a flake or two of food hit the substrate in my shrimp tank, and these little worm like critters started poking out of the substrate....so creepy looking.

having done a bunch of reading, i mostly gathered as well that they are harmless, so its interesting to hear they will maybe go after shrimp. from what ive read, the dog dewormer (fenbenzadole) will eradicate them, as well as cutting back on feeding to prevent them coming back. also i never notice them in my other tanks w/ fish, just the shrimp tank and my other tank w/ no fauna, maybe certain fish enjoy them?

is it worthwhile to just leave them be on anyones account? i did read somewhere they go after waste/food that slips down into the substrate and maybe even roto it a little bit. hmm to kill or not to kill......sorry dmtankd not trying to hijack your thread....im just in the same boat as you it seems :frown:


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## mordalphus (Jun 23, 2010)

planaria don't look like worms, those are probably nematodes.

planaria look like little slugs.


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## vespers_ (May 6, 2011)

salmon said:


> is it worthwhile to just leave them be on anyones account? i did read somewhere they go after waste/food that slips down into the substrate and maybe even roto it a little bit. hmm to kill or not to kill......sorry dmtankd not trying to hijack your thread....im just in the same boat as you it seems :frown:


you can't eradicate them completely because they are a natural occurrence in the tanks, same for those nematodes that live in the gravel. everyone has them, just not in crazy numbers. they actually perform valuable functions and clean up, but are kind of creepy to look at (like bristleworms in saltwater). 

i really doubt that planaria pose any danger to shrimp or fish as they are scavengers. same with those white nematodes that also live in the gravel.


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## mordalphus (Jun 23, 2010)

Planaria do kill shrimp. They have a poison they use to kill shrimp, or fish fry, or whatever else they can manage to crawl onto.

http://www.shrimpdiaries.com/the-truth-about-planaria/

"Some have speculated that the Planaria are harmless yet their presence is annoying. This assessment is false. Planaria tend to prey on fish fry and shrimp. Their stings are lethal and any victim that has been stung will likely die. The Planaria do not just bite and let loose instead they maintain a grip on their prey until it is dead. Once a shrimp has been bitten by this worm it lifelessly drops to the ground until all life force has been drained. In some instances, shrimp are lucky enough to shake off the Planaria. "

http://www.aquarticles.com/articles/management/Ali_Planaria_Worms.html

"Warning - Research carried out by Tim Henshaw at Bolton Museum (Lancashire, U.K.) indicates that Planaria carry a toxin on their surface. This toxin is particularly potent towards any species of shrimp and glass shrimp. "

http://www.blue-tiger-shrimp.com/blog/planaria-a-how-to-get-rid-of/

"Planaria are limped worms with triangular heading and can harm shrimp and their offspring. If your shrimplets always disappear after a few days, planaria may be the reason. They even attack full grown shrimp: The tiger shrimp showed on the pics below was jumping like crazy trough my tank. A closer look showed that a planaria had been creeping inside the body. The shrimp died later on."


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## DMtankd (Dec 2, 2009)

sounds like differing opinions on planarias threat to shrimp. i think i'll go ahead with the panacur. seems safe for other inhabitants and they're just kind of distracting.

vespers, thanks for the input. the ottos have fat little bellies and the dark line down the length of the crs seem to indicate that they're well fed. I keep an eye on them and Ill start feeding if they start to look peckish.

Im still stumped on the snails though. Ive had them in other tanks and, after reducing the feeding, their numbers dropped significantly. In this tank, with no feeding, I have a prolific amount of snails, even with me actively removing them, there just seems to be significantly more than in other tanks where Ive had them. whatever they can get their radula on? ha!


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## Chrisinator (Jun 5, 2008)

In all honesty, I do think that the planaria are killing the shrimp. The number of RCS in my tank seem to have diminished over time and there were planaria in the substrate. I'm only hoping I don't have any in my CPO tank.


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## ShortFin (Dec 27, 2005)

I used to be in the camp that planaria are harmless until I saw it with my own eyes. There was one attached to an adult shrimp's thorax, but the shrimp acted normal. Next day I found it dead. Another time, I saw a shrimplet jumping around like crazy. Upon further inspection, it was a planaria attacking it. It finally let go when I netted the shrimplet out of the water. I can see them trying to grab shrimplets as they walk by from the gravel.


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## mordalphus (Jun 23, 2010)

Yes, it's not a matter of opinion. Planaria secrete poison on their skin that is deadly to shrimp.


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## Chrisinator (Jun 5, 2008)

I'm guessing this would also affect other inverts such as Crayfish?


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## mordalphus (Jun 23, 2010)

Maybe with dwarf crayfish, probably not when it comes to larger crayfish. In my own opinion, planaria are the cause of many peoples 'shrimp dying in perfect parameters' problems. I keep several packets of panacur around just in case I have an outbreak. The problem gets worse when you try to starve your planaria by feeding your shrimp less. Because without that extra source of food, they go hunting. But if you feed extra all the time, they multiply like rabbits.

You can also use no-planaria, but I have heard that it kills snails (besides nerites), and also it doesn't work every time. It's also expensive.


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## Buff Daddy (Oct 19, 2010)

What about the nematodes? Should they be killed?


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## mordalphus (Jun 23, 2010)

no, and fenbendazole doesn't kill nematodes or copepods either

nematodes really do eat mulm and uneaten food, just like earthworms do outside of water.


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## ShortFin (Dec 27, 2005)

Will panacure or no-planaria kill black worms?


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## mordalphus (Jun 23, 2010)

couldn't tell ya, never tried it


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