Re: Hydra

[Randy or Deb Carey <carey@spacestar.net>]

I think the two reports below reflect what it takes to eradicate a hydra
outbreak:  pull fish and sterilize the tank.

If I ever get hydra, the tank gets quartantined until it's treated.  I pull out
all the fish and put them in a bare holding tank.  I have tried salt (for snails
and for hydra) with success, but I prefer chlorine (bleech) because chlorine can
be eliminated from the water, but I may never get all the salt out.  (Almost all
my few of my fish are best off with no salinity: tetras, Apisto's, et. al.)

After letting the bleeched tank sit for a day (with the filters running), I do a
complete water change maybe three times and treat the water heavy with Amquel.
Then I re-introduce the fish.  The net is sterilized in scalding water after I
complete each of the two transfers.  So far I have successfully eliminated the
hydra for each tank I have done this.

One big problem is plants.  I was about to resign myself to having to throw out
all plants in an infested tank, but then a friend told me a story that offers
hope.  He once came home to find a bar of soap had fallen into a tank.  All fish
were dead.  But he thoroughly rinsed all plants and lost none.  He pointed out
that soap ingredients are the basis of many fertilizers.  So next time I plan to
try a one hour soap bath (with plants in a bag) to kill the hydra and then a very
thorough rinsing of the plants.  Maybe we have a solution!

- --Randy



Andrew N. Blumhagen wrote:

> ======== Original Message ========
>
>
> I pulled the mother right out <snip>



> I then took the gravel and ran scalding hot water over it, numerous
> times. I did the same to the tank, filter, and nets.
>
>
> Vicky
>

> ======== Fwd by: Andrew N. Blu ========
> I had a minor breakout of Hydra once (I could see 3 or 4 of them) and nuked
> my tank, furnishings and equipment with huge amounts of salt.  After
> scrubbing the tank down with salt, <SNIP>  It
> seems to have done the trick, I never saw them again.  I lost a couple of
> more fragile plants, but it was a small price to pay.
>