[APD] Re: hydra

["Robert T Ricketts" <rtricketts at erols_com>]

Robert H said, in part:

"but they are a sign that
your tank is in bad shape. They thrive in poor water quality and heavy
organic waste. They feed on compost, decaying organics."

In fact, I believe that they feed largely if not entirely on small living
creatures from infusoria through the size of fish fry. Common aquarium
mythology holds that they accompany brine shrimp eggs, as fry and other
tanks fed such so often have outbreaks of this invert.  But that belief is
mistaken, it is only that baby brine shrimp is such an ideal food for hydra
that any present can reproduce rapidly with such a generous food source.

See: http://members.optushome.com.au/chelmon/Hydra.htm

Note that the author of that article considers hydra a sign of good water
quality, not the opposite.

>From personal experience I can attest that they are deadly to very young FW
shrimp in breeding trials.

RTR


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