[APD] Re: planaria toxic to shrimp

["David Grim" <grim1214 at bellsouth_net>]

>
> Message: 1
> Date: Sat, 1 Jan 2005 12:48:48 EST
> From: SunflwrgrlS at aol_com
> Subject: [APD] Planaria toxic to shrimp?
> To: aquatic-plants at actwin_com
>
> I found this surprising article while searching the web:
> http://www.aquarticles.com/articles/management/Ali_Planaria_Worms.html
>
> Although my shrimp do not seem affected by the Planaria that has invaded
> several months ago, I haven't had any baby shrimp in a few months
(although I was
> not wanting any more shrimp, either...).
>
> Do we have any scientists around that might be able to verify this or find
> more info about this reported 'toxic' substance from Planaria?
>

A friend has a 125 gallon reef and had an infestation of the salt water,
non-parasitic type of planaria and decided to get rid of them. The treatment
(so he tells me) effectively raised the redox of the water very quickly,
faster than the planaria could adapt, so they basically filled up like tiny
balloons and ruptured. The danger to the corals (less to the fish) was the
toxin released in the water after their deaths, and any resulting ammonia
spike from their eventual decay. He had to siphon all the dead out that he
could see and do several partial water changes, carbon/poly filter
filtration,  afterwards. It worked, and he lost one piece of coral out of
the entire 125 gallon reef.

So the article makes sense, but in the years I've kept freshwater fish/plant
tanks I've never heard of freshwater planaria being anything that less
feeding/better tank hygiene couldn't take care of.

Regards,
Dave


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