hydra infestation and one poly possibly hurt

[Prometheus]

i have a massive hydra infestation in my poly tank. how do i clear them without hurting my bichirs? also, one of my senegals has a brown mark towards his tail. do polys bruise? cause the 2 sens have been nipping at each other. could it be a bite mark? or could it be a sting from a hydra or even something else completely? it doesnt seem to act like its hurt so im not too worried but i want to check.

 

[Infblue]

the brown mark could be nothing really. got a pic?

 

[beblondie]

Q.have a massive hydra infestation in my poly tank. how do i clear them without hurting my bichirs?
A.Vacuum the tank well do lots of water changes and cutback on the amount of the food.Hydras consume small food particles and the ocassional fry but really can't hurt adult fish.Don't worry about the brown marks as they are common -Anne

 

[uwe]

Hi Prometheus,

i also had sooo many hydras in my tanks - up to the moment i had to medicate a Macrogyrodactylus infection.
The hydras did not harm my polys and were eating planarians - these guys aren't beautiful to see in a tank but also harmless to the polys.

All invertebrates were killed by the medication with Flubenazol - i think Praziquantel will do the same way but ...
... you will also kill all the "good" bacteria living in your filtration, gravel etc. - also all other invertebrates ... except the planaries.

... and that will be not a good deal!

Don't get in trouble about these hydras - maybe they are dangerous to larvae of very little inhabitants of an aquarium - but the parents of these imaginary larvae won't see the next day's light in a poly tank ...

Greetings

Uwe

 

[Prometheus]

thanks guys. i wolnt really worry about them then. it is a species only tank so unless my sens breed i dont think ill have any problems with fry. that and they are growing so much its time to upgrade the tank so that will be happening any time now. i can just net out the polys and leave all the other stuff, ill probably just drain the tank and let all the hydras dry out and die. i dont have a picture of the mark on Jude's tail. he's difficult to photograph much less even look at him closely in real life. feisty fellow. he's getn big too. i remember when he just just a baby, man he's grown! oh and i think i might find good homes for the other two and just keep him. iv got too many tank in my basement and a 75 gallon in addition to those would just be too much right now. ill probably stick him in a 30 or 40 breeder and see what happens.