planaria - how do they get into our tanks?

[juggler]

Been keeping planted tanks almost 10 years.

This is the first time I see my planted shrimp tank got infected with the worm.
I have read they flourish because of over feeding. But how did they get into the tank in the first place?

I have not been adding new plants. The last time something was added was a few months ago when I introduced Boraras maculatus. Could fish carry the worm?

Any idea? Thanks!

[stormhawk]

It is possible that the shrimp were the host species, not the fish. I've seen shrimp only tanks, getting infested with Planaria. Used to see tanks of shrimps at Polyart with a ton of Planaria.

If you need to remove them, you need an anti-helminthic like flubendazole or fenbendazole.

[beetroot]

Read somewhere.. can't remember where, that planaria exists in our water. And given the "right" conditions, they will grow and flourish.

Perhaps true.... when i first started my tank, i saw planaria crawling on the tank wall while i was still cycling the tank without shrimps or fish and of course without food. Only had soil, a couple of plants and water! So which of these items had planaria in them?

[vinz]

Read it at the PUB NeWater exhibit. Planaria or their larvae are present in our water supply... they get to our taps. In the right conditions, they will grow.

[Shadow]

....lucky I always boild my drinking water....

[juggler]

I think I know my tank could have got infected.

I was casually showing another colleague the planaria in my tank and he mentioned his shrimp tanks had also been infected with this before. Then I realised my tank could have been infected when I got some Süßwassertang (freshwater seaweed) from him some months back when he tore down his tank.


Right now I am feeding less. Hope they die off slowly. Don't see much actually. Perhaps one or two during feeding time.

Cheers!