Zezmo
Aquarium Advice Addict
Keeping fish my whole life I have had to keep with "common" parasites such as Ich on occasion. Most are really no big deal, a little heat, a few meds, or maybe a quick euthanization..problem solved.
But, in just under 2 years of growing plants... I have had to deal with a nightmare assorment of hitch hikers. Now, for fish I use a q-tank. However with plants usually a good rinse and a close examination is what I have done. Being sloppy like this with my plant quarrantine has lead (forced) me to learn about some pretty disgusting things. I thought i would share some of the horror with fellow plant hobbiests. Maybe a bit of a warning here too. These are all creature I have had to deal with in the last 2 years.
Snails:
MTS- the only one I actually welcomed
Pond Snails- minor nuisance, easily eaten by Cory Cats, Rainbows and many other fish. Crush a few to get your fish to try them, they will take it from there.
Brown spotted Rams horns- i remember the first one..."oh how cute". Now its OMG they won't stop breeding. Btw, my population produces the ruby ones that some people actually pay money for... to me they are a pest.
Tiny Ramshorns- sideways shell stay about 1/8". No nuisance http://www.eeob.iastate.edu/faculty/DrewesC/htdocs/helisoma-trivolvis.JPG
Tiny limpets- mildy interesting, probably eat some algae http://www.eeob.iastate.edu/faculty/DrewesC/htdocs/limpet2.jpg
Hydra- not a snail, still an invert though, neat stuff. Really only a hazard to fry. Nothing seems to eat them, at least they are a sign your water is good and clean. http://www.eeob.iastate.edu/faculty/DrewesC/htdocs/hydra-mature.jpg
Worms:
Nematodes- feed too much, don't clean the gravel? look closely you will have them. There are small crawly ones, and large swimming ones...maybe the same but seem like two types to me.
Planaria, common flatworn -got nematodes? look closer you got these guys too. Did you do experiments on these in high school biology? I wish they had taught us how to get rid of them then. http://www.eeob.iastate.edu/faculty/DrewesC/htdocs/planaria-Lv3.JPG
Predatory flatworm- OMG this is where the nightmare begins http://www.eeob.iastate.edu/faculty/DrewesC/htdocs/rhabdocoel-comp.JPG
Horsehair worm- got shrimp? look closely you may see one of these inside your shrimp http://www.eeob.iastate.edu/faculty/DrewesC/htdocs/horsehair-worm.jpg
Common leech- round red or black, see em diving for cover at lights on.
Flat leech- nasty snail eating leeches that brood and raise thier young. You won't be happy to find one of these..they are scary http://www.eeob.iastate.edu/faculty/DrewesC/htdocs/leech1.jpg
btw, these are common to most ponds and lakes in the USA
and last but not least....
Freshwater Brisleworm:
- Saltwater folks know about bristle worms. There are like 15000 types, only a couple are freshwater, and I managed to get at least one. I was cleaning the filter media from my nano in the sink. and this 2" long centipede looking thing jumps out of my hand and into the sink... ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. I almost quit the hobby on the spot. there is exactly zero data about anyone finding one of these in an aquarium. I caught it, photo'd it, video'd it. I don't know if it is a stinging type, and i wasnt gonna touch it to find out. The only type of freshwater b-worm that i found info on was poisonous, and is a problem in indian rivers. I will try and post the shots of this one over the weekend.
How about you guys? Have you had to deal with any of these? Maybe even crazier nastier things? How do you quarrantine your plants(or do you)?
credits:
the links i used came from here
http://www.eeob.iastate.edu/faculty/DrewesC/htdocs/invert-thumbs.htm
But, in just under 2 years of growing plants... I have had to deal with a nightmare assorment of hitch hikers. Now, for fish I use a q-tank. However with plants usually a good rinse and a close examination is what I have done. Being sloppy like this with my plant quarrantine has lead (forced) me to learn about some pretty disgusting things. I thought i would share some of the horror with fellow plant hobbiests. Maybe a bit of a warning here too. These are all creature I have had to deal with in the last 2 years.
Snails:
MTS- the only one I actually welcomed
Pond Snails- minor nuisance, easily eaten by Cory Cats, Rainbows and many other fish. Crush a few to get your fish to try them, they will take it from there.
Brown spotted Rams horns- i remember the first one..."oh how cute". Now its OMG they won't stop breeding. Btw, my population produces the ruby ones that some people actually pay money for... to me they are a pest.
Tiny Ramshorns- sideways shell stay about 1/8". No nuisance http://www.eeob.iastate.edu/faculty/DrewesC/htdocs/helisoma-trivolvis.JPG
Tiny limpets- mildy interesting, probably eat some algae http://www.eeob.iastate.edu/faculty/DrewesC/htdocs/limpet2.jpg
Hydra- not a snail, still an invert though, neat stuff. Really only a hazard to fry. Nothing seems to eat them, at least they are a sign your water is good and clean. http://www.eeob.iastate.edu/faculty/DrewesC/htdocs/hydra-mature.jpg
Worms:
Nematodes- feed too much, don't clean the gravel? look closely you will have them. There are small crawly ones, and large swimming ones...maybe the same but seem like two types to me.
Planaria, common flatworn -got nematodes? look closer you got these guys too. Did you do experiments on these in high school biology? I wish they had taught us how to get rid of them then. http://www.eeob.iastate.edu/faculty/DrewesC/htdocs/planaria-Lv3.JPG
Predatory flatworm- OMG this is where the nightmare begins http://www.eeob.iastate.edu/faculty/DrewesC/htdocs/rhabdocoel-comp.JPG
Horsehair worm- got shrimp? look closely you may see one of these inside your shrimp http://www.eeob.iastate.edu/faculty/DrewesC/htdocs/horsehair-worm.jpg
Common leech- round red or black, see em diving for cover at lights on.
Flat leech- nasty snail eating leeches that brood and raise thier young. You won't be happy to find one of these..they are scary http://www.eeob.iastate.edu/faculty/DrewesC/htdocs/leech1.jpg
btw, these are common to most ponds and lakes in the USA
and last but not least....
Freshwater Brisleworm:
- Saltwater folks know about bristle worms. There are like 15000 types, only a couple are freshwater, and I managed to get at least one. I was cleaning the filter media from my nano in the sink. and this 2" long centipede looking thing jumps out of my hand and into the sink... ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. I almost quit the hobby on the spot. there is exactly zero data about anyone finding one of these in an aquarium. I caught it, photo'd it, video'd it. I don't know if it is a stinging type, and i wasnt gonna touch it to find out. The only type of freshwater b-worm that i found info on was poisonous, and is a problem in indian rivers. I will try and post the shots of this one over the weekend.
How about you guys? Have you had to deal with any of these? Maybe even crazier nastier things? How do you quarrantine your plants(or do you)?
credits:
the links i used came from here
http://www.eeob.iastate.edu/faculty/DrewesC/htdocs/invert-thumbs.htm