What are these and how do I eradicate?

[Autumnsky]

Watched way too many episode of MacGyver.

Loved the MacGyver ger er done...

Looks interesting, lets see if it captures the hold outs.

The liquid treatment was easy. Hopefully there's no next time though.

 

[TMaier]

The shrimp are sure trying to getting in but so far no planaria.

 

[TMaier]

Nothing in the traps and I found one planaria on the glass. Think I need to change the bait. I put fresh shrimp in there. Silly me they like pellets.

 

[DutchMuch]

just to clarify because I looked back and you never posted a close up pic, are these things white or red?
planaria has a triangular shaped head and is a blood red.
a flatworm (harmless) is just a. small worm.

 

[TMaier]

The pics at the beginning are the best I could get. You can see the triangular head. But the ones of them gliding across the gravel they are light grey/tan.

 

[TMaier]

I pulled one out and looked at it on my hubbies microscope. Looks like this pic I found online.

 

[DutchMuch]

hmm, honestly I cant tell if that Is planaria myself! best to presume it is though lol

 

[TMaier]

The number of them seems to have been reduced but I am loathed to add more meds.

Any suggestions on a tank addition that will gobble up the planaria with minimal risk to shrimp? I know all shrimplettes will be at risk if they don't stay under cover.

 

[Nicki Gaga]

They would be quite hard to remove without fish, as fish eat them.

 

[DutchMuch]

They would be quite hard to remove without fish, as fish eat them.

ive never heard of fish eating planaria...

 

[flchamp89]

Many fish will eat them some better than others

 

[DutchMuch]

hm. I knew fish ate flatworms and such. thought planaria wasn't counting lol
My bad I guess

 

[flchamp89]

They are flatworms

 

[Nicki Gaga]

https://www.cuteness.com/article/aquarium-fish-eat-planaria

 

[TMaier]

It's pretty confusing the info I have found on the internet. Planaria and flatworms are names I have found. Definitely not tube worms or leeches. Some people love planaria and add them to their tanks. Some articles say they are harmless and other that they are predators. The only reason I suspect these are predatory is the large number of dead snails. They weren't newly hatched but close to 1/2 inch diameter. I saw the worms coming up from the substrate under the snails and shrimp. Not under the food. The shrimp would jump away, snails not so fast. I never had a problem when it was just snails in the tank. But I have purchased many plants over the past 6 months they were probably hiding in.

I can't believe the meds didn't kill them all. I am so disappointed.

I hope the Khuli's keep the numbers down and I will pull out the ones I see on the glass. And I will cut back on feeding.

Some of the reading suggested they can attack fish too. I hope the Khuli are successful.

If things deteriorate over the next few months I will have to try the liquid safeguard to treat and remove all the critters and double dose.

 

[flchamp89]

I bought some years ago and put them in a 10g. They did seem to kill pond snails. They had no affect on grass shrimp or flag fish. Flag fish would occasionally eat them wasnt crazy about them. Ive never viewed them as something of concern.

I think it is your shrimp population with the lava rock that caused your issue.

 

[TMaier]

I think it is your shrimp population with the lava rock that caused your issue.

Can you elaborate? I am sure I have so much left to learn I would appreciate the feedback.

 

[flchamp89]

I think the common denominator is too much food. While I love lava rock and want to scape with it my guess is there was a build up in the rock which created a conducive environment.

You have a large population of shrimp while maybe not over feeding per se. Still probably enough if my rock theory has clout.

 

[TMaier]

I have been target feeding the shrimp. But they do like to carry it off and pick it apart. The plants are tied to the rocks, with snacking shrimp perched upon leaves with snacks raining down... I can see that. I take 1/2 of the plants out when I clean and swish them around in the old tank water to keep to much debris from accumulating. And then vacuum the mulm from where the rocks were. I alternate sides of the tank each time I clean.

In a 2Og long what is a good number of shrimp? I have never kept Shrimp and could well be overstocked and need to thin the herd.

 

[flchamp89]

I dont think you have too many shrimp. I know your maintenance is good. So I been thinking why...

All I can come up with is the pores and they number of shrimp. May be nothing idk