Cherry Red Shrimp Breeding Project.

[studd muffin]

They look like this and its freaking me out. I have a phobia of worms

 

[Pyramid_Party]

You cant do much about it. In shrimp tanks theres no predators so you will see all kinds of micro organisms show up. I've had planaria, copepods, detritus worms, limpets etc. Don't bother trying to kill them, just accept them. They cause no harm. But if you want to see less of them cut back on food and up the maintenance.

 

[izzy_here]

You cant do much about it. In shrimp tanks theres no predators so you will see all kinds of micro organisms show up. I've had planaria, copepods, detritus worms, limpets etc. Don't bother trying to kill them, just accept them. They cause no harm.

None of this is true, hydra and planaria both can wipe out a dwarf shrimp colony. Furthermore you can get rid of them.

Perhaps more than one person will find this link a good read...I have used the methods outlined in it not only with shrimp but dwarf seahorse's to eradicate hydroids. It does work and it is safe in my experience.

http://www.planetinverts.com/killing_planaria_and_hydra.html

 

[Pyramid_Party]

Yeah I know Hydra can be a problem, just don't know about planaria.

 

[izzy_here]

Planaria can and will attack and eat baby shrimp. Your colony will slowly dwindle and die out if your not careful.

 

[izzy_here]

I've heard horror stories of planaria killing off entire colonies in days....this has not been my experience with them however.

 

[David K. Bradley]

WOW! That does sound horrifying, Izzy. Get together with Stephen King and make a movie about them trying to eliminate the human population and not the shrimp. (jk)

 

[Pyramid_Party]

I used to have lots of planaria. And I never seen them harm my shrimp population at all.

 

[studd muffin]

The worms dont affect my shrimp. They are actually scared of the shrimp.

 

[izzy_here]

Ok, I have sort of an experiment going. Not very scientific admittedly but here's the fact's. One tank with five Fire Red cherry Shrimp and one tank with 6 Yellow Shrimp. Both tank's contain 4 female's. Tank one contain's no planaria, tank two has a moderate planaria infestation. These yellow's just recently started reproducing so they should be extremely prolific. Since the tanks are two different size's and have different filtration etc, what I'll be looking for is overall production of young and direct (visible) attack's on the young by planaria.