When planarians appear in the aquarium, this becomes a cause for concern, and these worms look somehow completely unattractive. Is it worth it to worry much about this and are these creatures really dangerous? Today we will get to know them better, learn how to deal with planarians in the aquarium, and what preventive measures exist.
Description
Planaria are flatworms, covered with a hairline similar to small cilia. Their main habitat is freshwater bodies of water. However, some varieties of planaria can be found in sea water, less often - on land. In nature, there are many species of these worms that are common throughout the world. Adult individuals of some worms living in the wild can reach a length of 40 cm.
In home aquariums, milk and white, brown and mourning planarians are most often found. The peculiarity of parasites is that they prefer to lead a nocturnal lifestyle. Planaria in the aquarium hide behind stones, in the thick of plants. That is why it is not easy to detect them, especially if they are brown or mourning worms.
Fish do not eat them, because they contain toxic glands in their skin that produce toxic substances that are dangerous to others. The only exceptions are labyrinth fish (cockerels, gourami) that live in a freshwater aquarium. Here they eagerly eat parasites and their eggs. In the marine aquarium of these worms, various types of worms are preferred.
The main food of planarium is protein food. The basis of their diet is small invertebrates, in particular shrimp and crustaceans. They like to eat caviar of fish, snails and crustaceans, as well as their food. Often planarians in the aquarium (see photo below) attack adults. They are able to penetrate under their shell and clog the gills, provoking choking. Then the worms eat the victim.
No less damage is done by planarians in a marine aquarium. Due to the enormous reproduction rate, parasites are able to cover living stones, corals, glass and soil with a continuous crust in a matter of months. Coral covered with planar secretions begins to choke and may die over time. In addition, in the presence of parasites, the walls of the aquarium acquire an unaesthetic appearance.
Where do planarians come from
There may be several reasons for the appearance of ciliary worms . They are often brought along with unprocessed soil or plants. Also, planarians can get along with toys and interior items from the old aquarium. The source of infection may be live food or recently settled inhabitants.
When they enter the aquarium, worms begin to multiply at a very high speed, laying eggs under stones, plant leaves or in the ground. Active propagation of planaria is facilitated by irregular cleaning of the aquarium and changes in temperature indicators.
How to detect parasites
In order to determine the presence of planaria in the aquarium, you need to show some observation.
First, carefully monitor the behavior of the fish. If there are individuals among them that occasionally shake their heads around, it can be assumed that their gills were attacked by flatworms.
Secondly, the presence of parasites can be indicated by the absence of fry, although it was previously noted that fish eggs were laid.
Planaria can also be found on glass, if you suddenly turn on the lighting in the aquarium.
Fighting planarians in an aquarium
It is quite difficult to get rid of parasites. This is due to the fact that the planaria is very tenacious and has the ability to self-produce. In other words, if it is cut into pieces, each of them subsequently grows a tail and a head. According to some reports, for the renewal of the whole organism, only 1/279 of the planar body is enough. Moreover, these worms easily go to “suicide": in the event of a life threat, their body breaks into pieces. This ability in medicine is called "autotomy". In addition, these parasites are able to withstand a fairly long hunger strike.
And yet, with some effort, you can not only reduce their numbers, but also withdraw them altogether.
It is worth noting that in aquariums where fish live, it is much easier to cope with the task. Some types of fish, for example, fairly hungry cichlids and macropods, will help get rid of worms quickly and for sure. After all, it is these fish that are resistant to the poisonous mucus of ciliary worms. But to do this in the shrimp is very problematic. This will require a lot of painstaking work.
Physical methods of struggle
If planarians are wound up in an aquarium, how to get rid of these parasites? Aquarists have come up with a number of ways that help destroy planarians.
Of course, you can daily mechanically clean and rinse stones, plants, filters, walls of the aquarium and various objects, washing away the planarium.
To destroy the eggs of parasites, the soil must be removed and boiled. However, such manipulations are quite lengthy, and the expected effect is not always guaranteed, since the parasite's eggs are so resistant that they can withstand even boiling. And in the near future, all this may simply get boring.
One of the most popular ways to destroy a planarium is to use mechanical traps. To do this, put gauze beef or squid in a gauze bag and hang the bait for the night near the ground or among the plants. The aquarium at this time should not be lit. In the morning, in low light, carefully remove the bag with the worms caught, after which the trap is immediately immersed in boiling water.
Also, for catching worms, they often use a special glass or plastic vessel with holes. Such a trap can be purchased at the store or made by yourself. The holes in the vessel are made in such a way that, getting inside the bait feed, the planaria can no longer get out.
It is worth noting that this technique requires patience. Fishing for bait must be carried out for several days in a row in order to remove young growth that has appeared from eggs.
Chemicals
How to get planarium out of an aquarium? This question worries many aquarists.
Today, the simplest and most reliable method of getting rid of planarians is to use drugs that contain fenbendazole. These include Flubendazole, Fluvermal, Flubenol or Panacur. The main active ingredient does not harm the permanent inhabitants of the aquarium, but is effective in the fight against planarians.
The recommended dose of fenbendazole is 0.2-0.4 g per 100 liters of water. After a day or two after using the drug, all planaria die. Moreover, fenbendazole in the form of a suspension gives a faster effect than its analogue in powder, since the latter is poorly soluble in water. Dead worms are found adhered to the walls of the aquarium. Therefore, the final stage in the fight against parasites will be mechanical cleaning and replacing water.
Home remedies
If planarians appeared in the aquarium, as a simple and good way to destroy them, use a concentrated solution of sodium chloride in a ratio of 1 g per 1 liter of water. True, in this case, it is important to take into account one nuance: plants for which saline can become fatal are best removed for a while.
No less effective is a 0.5% or 0.25% solution of table vinegar. Of course, acetic solution in a concentration of 0.25% will be more effective. But if there is no need for extreme measures, it is better to prefer a more sparing option.
After vinegar or salt treatment, all objects present in the aquarium must be thoroughly washed in clean water, so as not to cause even greater harm to fish and shrimp. After that, change the water in the aquarium.
Also, if planarians appeared in the aquarium, you can get rid of them with the help of various pesticides, passing a current charge (12 V) through water, and heating the water. However, all these methods are dangerous for shrimp and snails. They must be used with a clear understanding of the risk and possible consequences.
Preventative measures
To prevent the appearance of intruders in the form of planarians, you must regularly clean the aquarium and prevent its contamination. The corpses of dead fish and the remains of food should not be in the aquarium for a long time, as the process of decay will occur.
Due attention should be paid to filters - they must be washed and cleaned in a timely manner.
It is better to transfer plants and interior elements to the aquarium after preliminary treatment with acetic solution and thorough washing with water.