VertigoXLR8R222

I figured this would be the place to ask my question. I have a hydra infestation, and went in search of the chemical treatment. The guy at the pet store said he didn't know what chemical would rid me of the critters, but when i asked if there was anything that would eat them, and he said a loach. So what's everyones opinion? Will a loach eat the hydras? I can't see how, but there are fish that eat jellyfish, so i guess there are some fish that are tolerant to the toxins in their tentacles, right? Does anyone have any previous knowledge of this? help Lee

Chief_waterchanger

Yes, most loaches will eat hydra. Best of luck on your extermination.

VertigoXLR8R222

thanks chief now let me slip into my next question the tank i have infested is only a ten gallon, but its the home of my crayfish, Dud-a-Chum. and he shares it with two glofish, four rosy reds and a CAE. so, what's the smallest loach? and will it be okay as the only loach in the tank? if i can't find a small one to keep then ill have to pass him on to another keeper with a larger tank. any suggestions? Lee

VertigoXLR8R222

well it says that loaches are known to eat tubiflex worms and with some fast research i find that a kuhli loach only reaches about four inches and seems to be a beautiful eel-like fish. now for the research on this specific fish and if anyone knows of a smaller loach that will eat hydras please post for comparison. thanks Lee

armadillo

My mollies eat hydra!

Oh, and loaches prefer to be in a group of 3 minimum.

Chief_waterchanger

Skunk loaches are aggressive enough to pull its own weight in the tank, but Armadillo is right, all loaches that I know of prefer schooling numbers. And your CAE should get to 8 inches, so unless you already plan a larger tank you're bioload as the CAE grows will throw your tank out of alignment chemically and the hydras will not be your biggest worry.

Best of luck.

VertigoXLR8R222

thanks everyone my CAE has a home when he gets another inch on him I am actually just getting him big enuff to not be eaten by the fish in my friends tank and did i read that right where armadillo says that mollies will eat hydra too i just want to get rid of these things since my glofish looks like she is ready to explode guess i need to build a fry tank the hydras will eat my babies like theyre the tank dingos sorry that wasnt funny anyway i am goin to get two mollies and see how they handle themselves if not i will get three loaches and just give them to someone with a bigger tank when my hydras are gone i wish there was a readily available medicine that i could just treat the hydra problem with but none of the petshops seem to have any clue and its too expensive from the feed store since they sell it in huge amounts for treating pigs anyway mollies here i come thanks folks Lee

VertigoXLR8R222

okay i now own two lyre-tailed dalmation mollies a boy and a girl and they seem friendly enuff especially to each other and the greatest news is that they seem to think it is hydra buffet nite in the tank they are gobbling them up like candy thanks armadillo you have made my day and maybe my glofish can have fry that survive long enuff for me to see and move to a fry tank with the infusorium to feed on here we go Lee

Butterfly

usually a couple of good gravel vavuums and a large water change will gt rid of the critters without adding fish
Carol

armadillo

hi hi hi. Glad to help. I actually moved molly fry to my oto tank just to get rid of the stuff!

VertigoXLR8R222

well my female died last nite and there doesn't seem to be any dent on the population of hydra what i took for them eating hydra i guess was them just nipping at the rocks after i looked again i realized that all the hydra seem to still be there i really like the mollies i had and since i still have a male i must get another female and since my mollie is still alive then i think the store owes me a replacement hope they have another one as pretty as the one i had BUT I HAVE DIGRESSED i don't think these are going to eat the hydras they seem more interested in the algae on the plants does anyone know of a chemical i can use to remove the hydra i do not want to have to bleach out my tank and wait on it to recycle thats kinda funny to say anyway please help i'm starting to freak out i want them gone they weird me out Lee

Cody

what hydra

armadillo

Oh nooo. I am sorry about that. Most people in the US manage to get a refund on a dead fish if it's recently after the purchase.

Here's a loooong article about a guy's method to kill hydra. http://fins.actwin.com/fish/killieta.../msg00219.html.

VertigoXLR8R222

thanks for that article now i am totally freaked out cause i definitely don't know where to get formaldehyde or how much it mite cost guess i'm stuck with setting up a spare tank to keep my fish in while i bleach everything in the tank one question tho, bleaching my plants can't be a sane idea so i'm thinking ice water mite work, like with snails dip my plants in ice water and shake them the hydra attach themselves with a "foot" like a snail so shocking them with really cold water mite have the same effect i shall try it with one of the hydra covered stones in my tank now they're are so many, they look like grass i wonder if they killed my ghost shrimp i haven't seen them in a couple weeks still have to bleach out my substate and then go through a complete cycle again huh blah Lee

armadillo

Oh no. Didn't mean to freak you out.

Let us know if you manage to get rid of it with your ice water. I like the idea. Would be a good trick to pass on in case someone else has that question.

Shrimps are notorious 'long-term hiders', but you could always do a search on the internet to see if they too can be victims of hydra.

After reading these articles, I sure won't be telling people of my experience with molly fry vs. hydra. I guess I was very lucky.

Butterfly

Before you do anything drastic, Do a very thorough gravel vacuuming and a 50% water change then the next day do another water change see if that helps the situation. you can always use chemicals later if you still want to.
carol

VertigoXLR8R222

okay here is an article everyone should peek at --> http://members.optushome.com.au/chelmon/Hydra.htm <--
it says i can shock them to death with a nine volt but the Leo in me yells to get a car battery so i'm going to transfer the fish to a spare tank for a few minutes and light up these monsters i hope i can find my shrimp if there are any left does anyone think this will kill the bacteria that keep my water so pretty and clear and if it does could someone with a cold shock themselves and cure themselves? hmmm what a weird thought anyway i plan on this friday so i will let everyone know Lee

armadillo

Mmmm, be careful, Vertigo. Batteries and water don't sound like the safest combination.