# Hydra; do I need to get rid of them?



## EnderUK (13 Apr 2014)

So got back off holiday late last night, this morning a did a large clean up of the main tank getting rid of all the melted leaves.

Didn't bother with the nano tank as I had just left it running as there was no fish in it. Went to the pet shop before the tank lights went on and threw in 3 nerite snails and two amano shrimp in. When the lights finally went on at 4 I noticed the swarm of 1-3mm long green hydra on the glass.

Now this tank is going to have MTS, Rili shrimp, nerite and possibly black worms living in it. It's going to be a beasty tank and eventually might have some white cloud minnows in as well. I'm wondering if I need to get rid of the Hydra? I know the big ones can take down small shrimplets but if I have a nice healthy population of shrimp is the odd one getting caught an issue or will the hydra go on the hunt.

I do have a pearl gouarami so I could probably chuck her in there and see if she's tempted into decimating them hydra, otherwise I'm looking at a dewormer I guess.

Thanks.


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## three-fingers (13 Apr 2014)

I'd just leave them in . I find larger shrimp like Amano's and fish will eat them to at least control the population, gouramis are particularly recommended for this, but larger WCMMs can eat them too.

My population of _Neocaridina davidi _is thriving and I've had _Hydra_ in that tank forever (I intentionally put them in hehe), the Rili shrimp will be fine IMO. Your lucky to have the green ones, after putting a few green ones in my tanks, I've never seen them again. Can usually spot some brown _Hydra_ if I look through the moss however.

Maybe if I was breeding expensive _Caridina_ shrimp for a living I would try to eliminate them...


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## EnderUK (13 Apr 2014)

Sounds good, I'll leave them in the tank. If I really don't like them I'll send in the gourami after starving her  Thanks for the quick reply. I guess they came in with one of the plants, don't know why the population boom as I haven't any food to the tank other than the decaying emmersed plant matter, that's probably my answer.


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## sparkyweasel (14 Apr 2014)

The green hydra has symbiotic algae, so they can have a population boom without an abundance of food.


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