How to control planaria in CRS tank?

**Tamama** · 20th May 2010, 23:58

Hi any brothers or sisters who can share some opinions?

I wouldn't say I have a lot of planaria in my tank, but it seems they are multiplying.

I just caught one white long worm.. it does not move but got a lot of planaria around it. I think it may be the planaria mom.

Thanks!

**madnugget** · 21st May 2010, 00:17

i kinda notice that whenever there is shrimps there bound to have planaria.

white long worm? planaria you can see them crawling over all surfaces and its quite obvious to notice, flat and long, not really white.. i usually suck them out and feed my rummy nose..

**eviltrain** · 21st May 2010, 00:31

for me i use vermax and manual catching them with my net. and feed them to my father's blood parrots. mua hahahaha

**Emokidz** · 21st May 2010, 01:18

I suck them out using an air tube as and when i see them clump together.

Reducing feeding helps population control too

**berber** · 21st May 2010, 01:59

does feeding less really helps? because i tried that before but the population still remains high

**berlinjs** · 21st May 2010, 08:43

Originally Posted by berber

does feeding less really helps? because i tried that before but the population still remains high

same here, maybe my weekly 10% water change is not enough to have clean water?

**soltari007** · 21st May 2010, 09:27

Planaria is due to Hugh volume of uneaten waste. Although water change or reducing feeding does not immediately wipe them out( no quick fix

), controlling these parameters will ensure they die out in 2-3 weeks.

Myself, I got a bad planaria infestation and what I did was siphon out all the water and waste, cleaned the filters and refilled the tank, watched my feeding. Could see planaria swimming around immediately afterwards, but now cleared.

**binniez** · 21st May 2010, 17:03

Hmmm.. The last time i had that yucky stuff in my tank, i used vermax.. But do note that do use only half or even quarter the recommended dosage. Dose while doing water change or water topup. I only had to dose twice b4 all planaria are gone. Never had them in my tank ever since.. Reduce feeding would help..

**Navanod** · 21st May 2010, 18:21

Use Fenbendazole powder to poison them, kills any stray hydras as well. Will not harm fish and shrimps

**boxedfish** · 21st May 2010, 18:27

Originally Posted by Navanod

Use Fenbendazole powder to poison them, kills any stray hydras as well. Will not harm fish and shrimps

when using Fenbendazole powder, make sure you do not have nerite snails in your tank. Somehow these snails will not survive the ordeal. They will be alive for a few days, not able to stick to aquarium walls, then die off.