What is it Slug/Snail/planaria/Green-Thing?

[Krylon]

About a month and a half ago I decided to dabble into the planted/shrimp tank world. All was good until these slug like things started showing up. My concern is whether it's planaria or just a slug/snail. So far I have only put red cherry shrimp in this tank and some live plants. I assume these guys hitch hiked in on the plants. The shrimp have been breeding and and I do have about a dozen or more shrimp-lets swimming around.

If they're just slugs or snails I'm fine with as long as the shrimp-lets are safe. Does anyone have methods for preventing hitch hikers on plants before placing the plants? Maybe a quarantine tank with a treatment to kill off the hitch hikers before placing plants in the main tank?

And lastly, does anyone know what this green thing is/was? I didn't even know it was in the tank until it was in the front of it lying dead (it hid most of the time). Looks like a dragon fly but where the wings would be were more like stems. No magnifying was necessary for this guy, it was about 3/4 to an inch long.

This is a first for me on all fronts, first shrimp/planted tank, first post on this site, first time with unknown creatures in my tank. Hopefully it just gets better and better from here. Any help would be appreciated, Thanks.

 

[Mogurako]

That looks like Planaria to me, they can be quite harmful to shrimp. I bought an all natural product called No-Planaria from http://greenleafaquariums.com/ . This stuff works like a charm, doesn't hurt the shrimp but will kill snails.

I am not sure what that other creature is but I would remove if.

 

[jcolon]

As far as treating future plants ... A good ole fashion H-peroxide dip should do it. A couple of 1-minute dips at either a 50 / 50 solution ... Or all H2O2.

 

[spiketooth]

I think the second picture is a dragon fly, i would remove that right away

 

[Krylon]

I'll give that No-planaria a try and see how it does. Quick question, once you use it and wipe them out, what are the chances of them coming back (assuming nothing is added to the tank such as new plants or other items)?

I'll give the peroxide dip a try next time i buy some plants. I'm going to upgrade my 10 gallon shrimp tank to a 30 gal I got from a buddy. I'm sure I'll be buying more soon.

As for the green guy, he's been gone for about a week or so. I was just curious if anyone had ever seen something like it or knew what it was. Really wasn't expecting a dragon fly to show up, or how it got in there for that matter.

Thanks for all the replies, if my RCS could talk I'm sure they would thank you too...

 

[Autumnsky]

I used Liquid Goat dewormer, and had no deaths of snails.

Here's my old thread.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f129/planaria-220067.html

 

[Wy Renegade]

The "green thing" was actually a damselfly larva rather than a dragonfly. Looks like it was probably getting ready for its final molt as the wing pads are quite evident. Closely related to the dragonfly, damselflys lay their eggs in water usually amongst aquatic plants. They are predators, so your fish and shrimp are probably quite happy that you removed it.

 

[Krylon]

I seem to find new creatures every day. I just found out today that I've got really tiny snails, and what I believe are copeods. I don't have an issue with the snails or copepods as long as they don't bother the shrimp or multiply into millions of them.

 

[Mogurako]

I seem to find new creatures every day. I just found out today that I've got really tiny snails, and what I believe are copeods. I don't have an issue with the snails or copepods as long as they don't bother the shrimp or multiply into millions of them.

They are most likely freshwater limpets not snails. I have those and pods in all my shrimp tanks.

 

[Krylon]

I'm pretty sure they're snails, but here's a pic. Let me know if I'm incorrect.

 

[Mogurako]

I'm pretty sure they're snails, but here's a pic. Let me know if I'm incorrect.

Yea those are snails in your tank! Squish em the shrimp likes to eat em.

 

[Krylon]

Ok I got some of this no planaria in the mail today and I found the directions funny and rather lacking. Does anyone know what a "spoonful" is? Are we talking tablespoon, teaspoon, wooden spoon? I also assume you cut the dose in half every 24 hours. So 1 "spoonful" the first dose, 1/2 the second dose 24 hours later, and then 1/4 24 hours after the second dose? (And yes I understand these dosages are for 50 liters, I will scale once I find out what size spoon to use)

 

[Mogurako]

Ok I got some of this no planaria in the mail today and I found the directions funny and rather lacking. Does anyone know what a "spoonful" is? Are we talking tablespoon, teaspoon, wooden spoon? I also assume you cut the dose in half every 24 hours. So 1 "spoonful" the first dose, 1/2 the second dose 24 hours later, and then 1/4 24 hours after the second dose? (And yes I understand these dosages are for 50 liters, I will scale once I find out what size spoon to use)

My guess would be a teaspoon

 

[Krylon]

My bad, I should have opened the package before posting. It came with a tiny spoon inside it. lol the spoon inside is 1/4 teaspoon.