What is this????

[jlk]

Ok everyone- i am TRULY at a loss here!!!! After destroying my tank & killing my plants with 1/2 a bottle of Ace 10% ammonia (yes, 1/2 a bottle!!!), i found MORE leeches today!!!!! Evidently, their eggs are immune to ammonia.... i dont know what else to do!!!! I tried sticking a leech in a hefty dose of potassium permagnate & it had no effect. I think these things can survive a nuclear holocaust. Does anyone have any suggestions on what else to try????

 

[Starka]

Ok everyone- i am TRULY at a loss here!!!! After destroying my tank & killing my plants with 1/2 a bottle of Ace 10% ammonia (yes, 1/2 a bottle!!!), i found MORE leeches today!!!!! Evidently, their eggs are immune to ammonia.... i dont know what else to do!!!! I tried sticking a leech in a hefty dose of potassium permagnate & it had no effect. I think these things can survive a nuclear holocaust. Does anyone have any suggestions on what else to try????

What about bleach? This is really weird I've never heard this before. I can't imagine where they are coming from.
But I did hear that they are good fried and with a little mustard.

 

[Hholly]

Any way you can put your fish in another tank and completely break down the tank? I would discard that substrate.

 

[jlk]

What about bleach? This is really weird I've never heard this before. I can't imagine where they are coming from.
But I did hear that they are good fried and with a little mustard.

I would but you cant mix ammonia with bleach-its a lethal combination for humans! You are welcome to come & catch a some & fry them up if you want!!

 

[jlk]

Any way you can put your fish in another tank and completely break down the tank? I would discard that substrate.

There havent been any fish in this tank since sat when i dumped the ammonia in the tank. I guess the substrate (probably 70pds of gravel & sand) is going to have to go because i dont know what else to do!

 

[GodFan]

Thrown the gravel out (seal it in a bag or burn it so the leeches dont get out) and rinse the tank, filter, and decor and then soak in BLEACH!

 

[Starka]

Thrown the gravel out (seal it in a bag or burn it so the leeches dont get out) and rinse the tank, filter, and decor and then soak in BLEACH!

I read somewhere that salt kills them too, but I don't know about eggs. I think that bleach would kill everything. I hope that works

 

[GodFan]

If bleach dont kill it then bury in the backyard and move far far away lol

 

[jlk]

If bleach dont kill it then bury in the backyard and move far far away lol

At this point, i am seriously considering it.....

 

[Starka]

At this point, i am seriously considering it.....

Where you live do you normally have leeches?

 

[LyndaB]

Don't know if this will help.... Eradicating leeches

 

[jlk]

Where you live do you normally have leeches?

Im sure they are in the lakes around here but i have never seen one before! This is a first for me!!

 

[Starka]

Im sure they are in the lakes around here but i have never seen one before! This is a first for me!!

I read in a different forum that someone went to the lake and came back, moved something in the tank and leeches exploded in the tank after that. I think she just kept them because his\her fish actually ate them so it was free food and free bait for fishing. Well I hope this works keep us updated

 

[Mlani]

I don't know about the specific leeches you have, but when the kids get a leech on them after swimming( where they were told not to) I douse those little suckers with salt. They let go of the kids and bubble up then shrivel up and die. Try soaking/washing everything in salt??

 

[jlk]

Latest update- although i had soaked the filters & ran them with a whopping dose of ammonia, i just took the filters apart (again) & found hundreds more of little eggs. They seem to be in some kind of hard little shell casing so i guess the ammonia doesnt penetrate them. Everything is going in the garbage!!!! Ugh....

 

[GodFan]

Try this before you through it away. Put tank, filter, heater (minus cord), and decor in a big bucket and dose strong ammonia. Then drain rinse and do salt water. Drain and rinse.

 

[pitdogg2]

strong dose of copper sulphate or go nuclear.....Bleach. I have had to bleach tanks before just rinse well and use a cup of clorine remover and let it set for a day dry in the sunlight if possible.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Good luck! It sucks they came back! I think you should chuck the substrate and filter media and soak everything in a salt bath. Then bleach it all. As said above, prime will neutralize any bleach residue afterwards.

 

[jlk]

This is SOOO horrifying & depressing.... off to the store to buy bleach & some pfs. Hopefully my husband will help me move this beast of tank outside so it can soak for a couple of days (he doesnt understand my fish fascination)... I loath the thought of starting all over again but i am out of options.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

This is SOOO horrifying & depressing.... off to the store to buy bleach & some pfs. Hopefully my husband will help me move this beast of tank outside so it can soak for a couple of days (he doesnt understand my fish fascination)... I loath the thought of starting all over again but i am out of options.

You'll get them all this time!! At least your boy are ok.