Planaria Attack Video

[cheetf]

Managed to see planaria attacking this shrimp when it is still alive. Don't know what happened but suspect the shrimp was weak and dying already.
If you look carefully you can see one attached itself to the shrimp.

YouTube Video

holy, your tank looks clean but with the planaria spoils the whole thing

Thanks for sharing the video Confirms the idea that Planaria can be opportunistic and vicious when it comes to shrimp that are weak.

Its interesting how it seems they are almost 'smell' a weak shrimp and converge to it

[LostBoI]

looks disgusting .....thanks for sharing the video

i think if i got chance to catch the planarias i will cook them and chop them into pieces

[tanmikel]

Originally Posted by Aria

Thanks for sharing the video Confirms the idea that Planaria can be opportunistic and vicious when it comes to shrimp that are weak.

Its interesting how it seems they are almost 'smell' a weak shrimp and converge to it

you can also use this "weakness" to catch the planaria what if we put a dead shrimp is a small bottle and let the planaria come into the bottle for the worm ?

Thanks for sharing... this is exactly what happened to my ex CRS tank They are nasty!!!

morale of the story? dont over feed! and always quaratine plants before 1 of them gets in!

Originally Posted by peckio

Maybe TS should add some small fishes, that won't attack his shrimps, to clear up the planaria.
Used to put those mosiquito rasbro into my shrimp tanks when I last have a mini shrimp setup.

The Planaria has some sort of toxic slime coat that repels most fishes. The fish simply leave them alone unless they are starving. Besides fish post a danger to shrimplets (they would sooner eat the shrimplets than the yucky planaria) and that's why planaria is such a plague with us shrimp keepers.

Originally Posted by tanmikel

you can also use this "weakness" to catch the planaria what if we put a dead shrimp is a small bottle and let the planaria come into the bottle for the worm ?

Yup you can set up planaria traps using meat or fish meat as bait. However I hear that you can't get all of them. What remains will multiply.

These pesky critters indeed pose an uphill battle.

[cheetf]

Originally Posted by Aria

Thanks for sharing the video Confirms the idea that Planaria can be opportunistic and vicious when it comes to shrimp that are weak.

Its interesting how it seems they are almost 'smell' a weak shrimp and converge to it

Yup, they seem to be able to smell their prey from miles away!

Originally Posted by Wjustin

i think if i got chance to catch the planarias i will cook them and chop them into pieces

Have you ever squashed one? SLIMY!

Originally Posted by Wjustin

morale of the story? dont over feed! and always quaratine plants before 1 of them gets in!

Over feed or not they will be there, if you don't feed them they will just go for your shrimp. And quarantine is a precaution but not a foolproof method, I suspect mine came with the shrimp.

Originally Posted by peckio

Maybe TS should add some small fishes, that won't attack his shrimps, to clear up the planaria.
Used to put those mosiquito rasbro into my shrimp tanks when I last have a mini shrimp setup.

Not practical, need to have many to do the job, plus the only difference when there are fish there is that they will just hide between the plants and you don't see it. But it doesn't mean that they are not there.

Originally Posted by Jeanxavier

Wow those planarias are HUGE!

I've ever encountered these villians (no where as big as those in the vids) in my previous shrimp tank and I lost the battle against them after trying all sorts of methods. In the end I had no choice but to tear down the tank.

Yes and no, the planaria look huge because it is a small shrimp. Actually believe it or not the planaria in this tank is fairly under control. I have had worse when I started my first ever shrimp tank.

Originally Posted by Je®vis

Oh no! I just spotted 1 in my CPO tank!!! I immediately net it out

Keep at it, if not they will take hold and overrun the tank.