18 replies to this topic

[jeffblack]

Found this attached to a breeding cave.

 

Does anybody know what it is and whether I should be concerned about it?

 

 IMG_10981.JPG   52.51KB   8 downloads

 

 

 

Bigger picture if you click on it.

Edited by jeffblack, 27 June 2014 - 09:46 PM.

[Redevilz]

Did you sneeze before you took the photo?

[Michael the fish fanatic]

Could you get a cleare picture

Edited by Michael the fish fanatic, 27 June 2014 - 10:24 PM.

[dori]

could be snail eggs

[Terry]

If it moves it's a leech, they eat fry.

[Michael the fish fanatic]

I thought it was a leech

[sajica]

Looks like a Leech. If you're sick get a pile of them and stick them on your arm and they'll make you better

[sydad]

It is almost certainly a "snail" leech. As Terry said, and despite the fact that they prey on snails, they will catch quite large fry: taking them from mid-water during darkness in particular (they are able to sense the movements of the fry even when the fry are virtually stationary).

 

In removing these pests from the aquarium, care is needed since they are live bearers, and it is easy to dislodge the mass of tiny leeches (the dark spot seen in the middle on the photo) which are then almost impossible to catch until they have reached a reasonable size, by which time their depredations may have become significant.

 

Syd.

[shayne]

I have some of these in an outdoor pond,courtesy of a [mates??] dodgy water lilies.I have been composting everything that comes out of there but have some plants there I would like to share or feed to fish can anyone suggest a treatment that is effective on snails/leeches but leaves the plants safe enough to place where they may/will be grazed on. cheers

[Fox]

Sydad! A wealth of information as always. Brilliant.

[Bombshocked]

oh god... id just scoop fish out and drop 20kgs of pool salt up on that....

 

edit: question to the scientific folks... lets say you copped a mouth full of water with a syphon and it had 200 baby leaches in it... are they contractable via humans? so creepy

 

im just a suck on the syphon kind of guy, but now after seeing planaria,hyrda,leaches,water fleas and god knows what other little things im starting to wonder more and more about this technique

Edited by Sir_Anubias, 28 June 2014 - 03:45 PM.

[jeffblack]

Thanks for replies, that was the only one I could see and it was on the cave that was full of bristle nose fry. Disposed of it shortly after I took picture.

[sydad]

.

 

edit: question to the scientific folks... lets say you copped a mouth full of water with a syphon and it had 200 baby leaches in it... are they contractable via humans? so creepy

 

Absolutely no chance that the leeches would survive ingestion, and there would not be suficient mass to cause any digestive problems. That said, it is always a good idea to avoid ingesting water from aquaria, since there is potential for some unpleasant outcomes even if they are unlikely.

 

Syd.

[Terry]

There are more in there Jeff, the chance that you found the only one is very slim. Washing / soaking everything with salt is the only way that I know of getting rid of them.everything.

[Bombshocked]

i actually had no idea that salt killed them specifically

 

thanks for your answer syd

[jeffblack]

There are more in there Jeff, the chance that you found the only one is very slim. Washing / soaking everything with salt is the only way that I know of getting rid of them.everything.

What sort of salt are we talking about and what sort of concentration and what do I do with plants?

[shayne]

asked this question earlier in post. Help please, applicable salt/bleach/copper levels??? did read somewhere about using old fashioned acondies? crystals. If I cant successfully treat these plants im throwing out a couple of barrows worth.I

[Bombshocked]

http://www.fishtanks...treatments.html

 

best i found was at the bottom it mentions the salt treatment for leeches, but im sure it will wreck ur plants

[shayne]

thanks for the link sir anubias,  yes I don't think that much salt would be good for plants but don't know for sure.Maybe a short term bath?. Permagante potash is the condies crystals I was trying to think of, I will try to find that again. Thanks for helping. Cheers