# Planaria (sp?)



## Niche (Mar 9, 2004)

Hey,

I have a 2 month old tank (135 g with 20g sump at 450gph) with an abundance of these little white worms floating around and sticking to the glass.

I have kept up on water changes but still seem to have gotten them.

I haven't feed the p's in a few days and have been doing daily 50-75% water changes and gravel vacs. How long do you think until they will die of?

thanks


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

I'd crank the heat up to the mid 80's.
Planaria can't take the heat.

I personally wouldn't be doing water changes in excess of 50% at a time.

If you've removed all uneaten food, increase the heat and perform the gravel vacs like you are, I wouldn't expect the planaria to be a problem for more than a week.


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

I think gravel vacs are the best way to beat these guys. Even if the tank looks clean there can still be a ton of crap in the gravel thats hidden and feeding them.

I also wouldnt pass 50% water changes a day as when you do huge waterchanges eventually it may be detrimental to your fish or your benificial bacteria. Planaria isnt harmful so its better to play it safe. If some chemical got accidently spilled in your tank then you can do a 100% water change but for a situtuation like this 50% a day is more then enough.

There is also a ton more debris in the gravel and filters then in the actual water so a gravel vac and cleaning your filters mech pads will probably help alot more then changing water that was in the water column as it shouldn't even have much debris in it.


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## balluupnetme (Oct 23, 2006)

I'm having the same problem...I cranked the heat up to 84-86 degrees and I still see planeria...wouldn't 50% a day kill off the good bacteria ?


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

Figuring you have a good bacteria base in your filter media, and the media is of substantial quantity for the size tank you have, 50% is fine, but IMO it's the maximum you should change per day.


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## balluupnetme (Oct 23, 2006)

Piranha_man said:


> Figuring you have a good bacteria base in your filter media, and the media is of substantial quantity for the size tank you have, 50% is fine, but IMO it's the maximum you should change per day.


Mine is a 115 gallon wit a 4" rhom, thanks for the advice I think 50% should do it...


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

Oh yeah, I think you caught something I missed... and that is what kind of a bioload you are putting on the tank.
In your case it's definitely minimal if you have a 4" fish in a 115 gallon tank!


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## balluupnetme (Oct 23, 2006)

would 10% a day be good ? My only filtration system is a Rena XP4


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

A Rena xP4 should be great for what you have goin' on.
Enough mechanical filtration as well as enough biological filtration.

You can get away with some pretty aggressive water changes IMO.


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## balluupnetme (Oct 23, 2006)

oh ok, cool, thanks for the advice


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

You probably havnt been cleanign the gravel nearly enough or feeding too much if you have planria in a 115g tank with a 4" fish. You can do a 100% waterchange without killing the bacteria but thats assuming the new water is practically identical to what you removed minus the toxins. Its the fluxuation in temperature, pH and possibly addition of chlorine (if you didnt use a dechlorinator) that will stress your fish and could cause a mini cycle


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## balluupnetme (Oct 23, 2006)

I cut down the feedings to twice a week, I do 30% weekly water changes, gravel vac once a week


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## fiveo93 (Jan 19, 2004)

add some salt to the water, it will kill the hell out of planaria


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## balluupnetme (Oct 23, 2006)

How much salt ? Half the recommended dosage or like a third ?


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## maknwar (Jul 16, 2007)

how much you feed twice a week?


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## balluupnetme (Oct 23, 2006)

Once or twice a week


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## Niche (Mar 9, 2004)

Thanks for all the advice.

I have 3 pygos in the tank so I'm sure the bio=load isn't too much.

Can the dying off of algae spur an increase in the parasites? I got rid of a bunch of blue-green algae over the last week by darking the tank.


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

Niche said:


> Thanks for all the advice.
> 
> I have 3 pygos in the tank so I'm sure the bio=load isn't too much.
> 
> Can the dying off of algae spur an increase in the parasites? I got rid of a bunch of blue-green algae over the last week by darking the tank.


If there was enough algae I would assume it could. Any decaying matter I would think could contribute.


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