RE: Planaria Problems

["Liptrot, Pete" <pete.liptrot@bolton.gov.uk>]

>I thought that planaria were these really small tube >like white worms,
about 1/2 inch long.

These sound more like Oligochaetes, an Annelid worm.

Planaria can be difficult to get rid of, but antihelminthics should do it. 
The common name for Planaria, Flatworms, is highly descriptive, but they
also have other unrepeatable names when an infestation occurs(!).
Some species appear to have distasteful mucus, and I have found in the past
that if chopped Earthworm is fed fish will often refuse it once it has been
crawled over by Planaria. If the fish ingest a piece of worm with a
Planarian still on it they often cough it out quite violently with apparent
distaste.
They can destroy eggs, and may also attack fry. Although many books will
tell you they are scavengers, they do sometimes attack living larger living
animals where competition for food is high. I have seen them kill Caridina
shrimps in aquaria with a high population of Flatworms.
Pete.


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