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The Infamous Hydra & How to get rid of it

What exactly are Hydra? Hydra are small aquatic vertebrae, closely related coral, jellyfish, and anemones which are generally saltwater. Hydra are typically thought of as an infestation. It isn’t completely abnormal for Hydra to be living on plants that you might have recently purchased. They can hitchhike on plants and end up in your aquarium. All of said creatures are potentially harmful to your shrimp, and like previously mentioned, the hydra can cause harm to your shrimp by stinging them, as well as poisoning them! The Hydra will capture its prey using its tentacles. After capturing the prey, the Hydra then will sting the prey before consuming it. The hydra has been known to eat small fish fry as well as some reports of preying on shrimp of various sizes.

If you have a Hydra problem, it is strongly recommended that you try to get rid of them, as they have the potential to cause harm to your shrimp. Removing the Hydra is not easy to totally remove. Some chemicals that are used to remove Hydra are also very dangerous to your shrimp as well. There are a few very important points in keeping Hydra out of your aquarium.

The best method of keeping Hydra out of your aquarium is prevention! We know that Hydra can sometimes tag along on any plants you might buy. Make sure you buy your plants from a store with a good reputation. Large pet stores and chains run a higher risk of inducing a problem of Hydra. Of course, always rinse and thoroughly clean your plants before you put them into your aquarium, and this is a good practice regardless of wherever you bought them.

Another good step in keeping Hydra out of your aquarium is maintenance. A clean tank is a very important part in keeping Hydra out, or generally removing them! Hydra find dirty tanks to be a very suitable home and thrive in them. If you feed your shrimp too much, it can result in a dirty tank. Make sure to remove any leftover food after your shrimp or fish have finished eating.

Now to remove your Hydra if you find yourself with that problem, netting them for starters is a good method. Hydra can grow to half and inch. During water changes, you could suck them through a tube. Be careful as to not suck your shrimp up though!

If you find yourself with a dastardly problem of Hydra, fear not! You can follow just these simple tips and tricks to prevent them, control the outbreak, and completely removing them. As a reminder, do not use chemicals, because they can kill your shrimp, and even leave residue that could be potentially harmful to your shrimp!

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