# How To Get Rid Of Planeria ?



## CuzIsaidSo (Oct 13, 2009)

I'm having problems getting rid of planeria in my 180g. I have a plant substrate in the tank so it's too light for me to clean really good. Is there anything I could do to get rid of them or any chemical I could buy to kill them ?


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## Guest (Sep 8, 2010)

Planaria will disappear with frequent water changes and lack of a food source. I sped up the process by putting up a divider restricting my reds to 1/4 of the tank while I bought a dozen Swordtails and dumped them in the other side. They ate most of the planaria and then became a tasty treat for the Reds.


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

^^ What she said.

When I've had planaria infestations, I've simply performed a sequence of water changes and gravel vacs and elevated the temperature.
Planaria do not thrive in temperatures in the mid-80's.


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## CuzIsaidSo (Oct 13, 2009)

Thanks...So I should raise the temp to 82-84, Divide the tank in half (1/4 is too small for 19 pygos), get some swordtails & do 2 water changes a week instead of 1

I can't do a good gravel vac with this plant substrate, it too light and gets sucked up the python....I think thats the main reason I had an outbreak


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## Murphy18 (Oct 17, 2008)

Yeah as stated, planaria feed on left over food, so feed your fish sparingly and make sure you get all uneaten food out after they have finished their meal.


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

remove excess food and water changes. with 19 pygos sword tails would be a waste imo


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

CuzIsaidSo said:


> Thanks...So I should raise the temp to 82-84, Divide the tank in half (1/4 is too small for 19 pygos), get some swordtails & do 2 water changes a week instead of 1
> 
> I can't do a good gravel vac with this plant substrate, it too light and gets sucked up the python....I think thats the main reason I had an outbreak


I'd do a 40% water change every 8 hours a few times in a row to get rid of them.


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## FEEFA (Nov 19, 2007)

How much water do you change normally?
With that many pygos I'd be doing at least 50% a week with or without a planaria problem.

You can still do a gravel vac with the python, just pinch the hose to slow down suction and then it shouldnt suck up your substrate. It will however take longer.

Personally I got rid of all my live plants and went bare bottom, much easier to keep clean


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## CuzIsaidSo (Oct 13, 2009)

****** said:


> How much water do you change normally?*I do a 30-40% water change once a week*
> With that many pygos I'd be doing at least 50% a week with or without a planaria problem.
> 
> You can still do a gravel vac with the python, just pinch the hose to slow down suction and then it shouldnt suck up your substrate. It will however take longer.*I'll try it but on a 180g it'll probably take me hours*
> ...


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## HGI (Oct 27, 2009)

I had a Planeria problem in my tank, recently I got a $400 glass bong for free (new never used)from the smoke shop cause it was broken it half.

I stuck it in my tank and after a week I noticed there weren't any planeria in my tank..... I then the bottom half of the bong (the big part that holds water) had a thin lair of what looks like sand, I wondered how could the sand manage to get in there? then after a closer look it's all those freaking planeria, DEAD!, I guess they all found a way into it where the bowl goes and couldn't find their way out.

Maybe this is a great invention waiting to happen....


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## Murphy18 (Oct 17, 2008)

^^


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## FEEFA (Nov 19, 2007)

Bong in a tank? I dont even know what to say to that.
Maybe they all od'd and died









Exactly what substrate are you using CUZ?
Is it 1-2mm sand/gravel like pool filter sand or aragonite?


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

HGI said:


> I had a Planeria problem in my tank, recently I got a $400 glass bong for free (new never used)from the smoke shop cause it was broken it half.
> 
> I stuck it in my tank and after a week I noticed there weren't any planeria in my tank..... I then the bottom half of the bong (the big part that holds water) had a thin lair of what looks like sand, I wondered how could the sand manage to get in there? then after a closer look it's all those freaking planeria, DEAD!, I guess they all found a way into it where the bowl goes and couldn't find their way out.
> 
> Maybe this is a great invention waiting to happen....


Umm...
Hmm...


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## CuzIsaidSo (Oct 13, 2009)

****** said:


> Bong in a tank? I dont even know what to say to that.
> Maybe they all od'd and died
> 
> 
> ...


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## HGI (Oct 27, 2009)

Yes a Glass bong










But bigger than this one and it's not colored, and it's broken in half. The bottom part (the camber or what ever it's called) is the part that all the dead planeria ended up. I don't have a camera to post photos but i will have a camera when I get back from my trip in 3 weeks so I'll post a photo then.

The bong was brand new, never used (I wouldn't have put a used on in my tank for obvious reasons) I'm from Vancouver Island BC Canada, so I'd hope you'd understand why I even thought of putting a glass bong in my tank in the 1st place hehe... Anyways for some reason all the planeria ended up in the bottom part and died in there.


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## CuzIsaidSo (Oct 13, 2009)

I found this - http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum/showthread.php/14641-How-to-get-rid-of-planaria-(flat-worms)

Do you think it'll work ?


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## Pirambeba (Feb 1, 2010)

CuzIsaidSo said:


> I found this - http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum/showthread.php/14641-How-to-get-rid-of-planaria-(flat-worms)
> 
> Do you think it'll work ?


 Seems logical, wouldn't hurt to give it a try.


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