Because they can survive being flushed and survive in the sewer system, possibly becoming an invasive species in local waters. In the US, many areas of the country prohibit introducing anything from an aquarium, even if it is locally caught from the river. Once the fish/invertebrate is in your aquarium, you should not release into any local waterway. Only permit carrying hatcheries can do this.
Too many of these creatures in my tank what are these?
- Thread starter professorjimjam
- Start date
Because they can survive being flushed and survive in the sewer system, possibly becoming an invasive species in local waters. In the US, many areas of the country prohibit introducing anything from an aquarium, even if it is locally caught from the river. Once the fish/invertebrate is in your aquarium, you should not release into any local waterway. Only permit carrying hatcheries can do this.
Thank you for this. I am glad I did not yet flush anything. so, if I put copper in the bucket, how long I should keep it in the bucket, until they are dead?
Also, where to I pour the bucket after they are dead?
Also, where to I pour the bucket after they are dead?
They came from the live worms u been feeding. These leeches comes with live blackworms everytime I buy them. Always been harmless to my fish.
Hello; Look like a round worm more than a flatworm planaria. altums85's response is from experience so should have a lot of confidence attached. May or may not be harmful but not something I would not want in a tank. I would likely sanitize the entire tank. I would likely try to soak the tank with all the equipment used in the tank, the substrate, nets and all with a Clorox solution. When a clorox soak is finished with the tank, substrate and all rinsed, it is necessary to use some water treatment such as SAFE or Prime before putting the fish back into the tank I have used Prime.
The fish will have to be put into another container during the clorox soak. Likely take a very good look to see if any of the worms are attached to the fish. Might be on the gills which will be hard to see in small fish. An approach could be to have the fish in a bare tank with no decor or substrate which might make seeing the worms easier. I am largely guessing here so take the suggestions with a lot of grains of salt.
The clorox soak will kill snails so perhaps catch a few snails and put them into a container in a quarantine sort of approach. If after a time the snails seem clear of the worms add them to the newly set up tank. I would consider killing all the snails and getting other snails to replace them. Not a situation I have personal experience with so keep such in mind.
The fish will have to be put into another container during the clorox soak. Likely take a very good look to see if any of the worms are attached to the fish. Might be on the gills which will be hard to see in small fish. An approach could be to have the fish in a bare tank with no decor or substrate which might make seeing the worms easier. I am largely guessing here so take the suggestions with a lot of grains of salt.
The clorox soak will kill snails so perhaps catch a few snails and put them into a container in a quarantine sort of approach. If after a time the snails seem clear of the worms add them to the newly set up tank. I would consider killing all the snails and getting other snails to replace them. Not a situation I have personal experience with so keep such in mind.
Hello; To the OP. If you decide to sanitize the tank keep in mind the snails in the substrate will die and will decompose. If there are a lot of snails and worms the decomp byproducts will be a potential problem. I always do the multiple bucket cleaning of substrate when i sanitize or even if i simply break down a tank.
I use three or more five gallon buckets. I put a half gallon or so of dirty gravel in a bucket. Hit it with water from a garden hose and then stir with a cut off broom handle. Pour off the water saturated with gunk. Repeat the water and stirring until mostly clean water is poured off. Throw the cleaned substrate into a clean bucket and do another half gallon or so. Repeat until all is clean. It does not have to be perfectly clean. A task best done outside and during warm weather.
I use three or more five gallon buckets. I put a half gallon or so of dirty gravel in a bucket. Hit it with water from a garden hose and then stir with a cut off broom handle. Pour off the water saturated with gunk. Repeat the water and stirring until mostly clean water is poured off. Throw the cleaned substrate into a clean bucket and do another half gallon or so. Repeat until all is clean. It does not have to be perfectly clean. A task best done outside and during warm weather.
I have no expertise in this subject but for some reason it piqued my interest. From what I have read it does seem common to have leeches come with different types of live worms.
Here are some things I read from other people dealing with this and suggesting remedy's etc. Not necessarily facts but information put out there.
Copper based medications will kill them. Some suggested for 9 weeks time due to the eggs staying dormant for some time.
(Copper can harm or kill snails and inverts.)
One poster said he got puffers and they eat them.
Some say planaria traps can catch the leeches very well though I suspect that would just limit the population.
Many say they are not bothered by the leeches coming with the worms. Some go to the extent of physically removing them from the worms before feeding. One person claimed that methylene blue can kill the leeches but not the worms (seems dubious).
I myself could not tolerate this type of critter in my tanks but that is just me. Gives me the willies. ?
Here are some things I read from other people dealing with this and suggesting remedy's etc. Not necessarily facts but information put out there.
Copper based medications will kill them. Some suggested for 9 weeks time due to the eggs staying dormant for some time.
(Copper can harm or kill snails and inverts.)
One poster said he got puffers and they eat them.
Some say planaria traps can catch the leeches very well though I suspect that would just limit the population.
Many say they are not bothered by the leeches coming with the worms. Some go to the extent of physically removing them from the worms before feeding. One person claimed that methylene blue can kill the leeches but not the worms (seems dubious).
I myself could not tolerate this type of critter in my tanks but that is just me. Gives me the willies. ?
