Mattie
06-16-2008, 05:35 PM
Battling hydra and planaria in the crustacean tank
by Christian Peter Steinle
The usual first medication chosen to treat aquariums for infestations of hydra and planaria are copper-based medicines, which are lethal to crustaceans and do not fully rid the tank of the infestation, either. However, hydra can be treated very successfully with Flubendazole, which is harmless to fish and invertebrates. Flubendazole is a medication designed for treatment of internal parasitic worms. The active ingredient in Flubendazole works by binding a protein subunit, resulting in the destruction of the cell walls of parasitic worms and hydra. This results in death, because the worms and hydra are rendered unable to transport food across their membranes any longer, and therefore die.
The active ingredient (C16H12FN3O3) is solid and largely water-insoluble, and therefore harmless to fish and crustaceans. It is sold for de-worming animals and can be obtained where veterinary medicines are sold.
Aquarists have used Flubendazole with good success. It takes about two weeks before hydra are destroyed. The treatment can be repeated at four weeks, to destroy any second-generation hydra not killed by the first treatment. After the second treatment, a water change should be done.
Best wishes.
A question frequently asked of 1A-Wirbellose.de:
How is Flubendazole dosed into an aquarium?
Answer (Christian Peter Steinle):
Flubendazole contains an active ingredient commonly used in veterinary and human medicine. It is also used for some agricultural and industry uses, as well. A tablet placed in water is relatively insoluble, so whether it is placed in a small amount of water, or larger amount of water, the concentration let out into the water is essentially similar. It will only dissolve to a very small concentration in the water, and then is insoluble beyond that. So unless the amount of water is very huge (> 1000 liters), one tablet will suffice to treat all volumes, putting the same concentration of medicine into the solution.
A question frequently asked of 1A-Wirbellose.de:
So with Flubendazole there is no meaning to "dosage amount?" One tablet gives the same treatment in a 30 liter tank as it does in a 1000 liter tank? Can you explain how this is?
Answer (Christian Peter Steinle):
Flubendazol is largely insoluble in water. When a tablet is placed in water, so little of it dissolves that the water gets the same miniscule concentration, then it stops dissolving further, whether it's a small volume of water, or a large volume of water. This tiny concentration is fully circulated throughout the water by the aquarium's filter pump, and all the hydra are treated. So it is not necessary to speak in terms of dosage accuracy, since the concentration is dictated by the low solubility in water. The active ingredient is harmless to everything but worms and hydra.
Friendly greetings
Christian Peter Steinle
1A-Wirbellose thanks Christian Peter Steinle for details answer of our questions.
by Christian Peter Steinle
The usual first medication chosen to treat aquariums for infestations of hydra and planaria are copper-based medicines, which are lethal to crustaceans and do not fully rid the tank of the infestation, either. However, hydra can be treated very successfully with Flubendazole, which is harmless to fish and invertebrates. Flubendazole is a medication designed for treatment of internal parasitic worms. The active ingredient in Flubendazole works by binding a protein subunit, resulting in the destruction of the cell walls of parasitic worms and hydra. This results in death, because the worms and hydra are rendered unable to transport food across their membranes any longer, and therefore die.
The active ingredient (C16H12FN3O3) is solid and largely water-insoluble, and therefore harmless to fish and crustaceans. It is sold for de-worming animals and can be obtained where veterinary medicines are sold.
Aquarists have used Flubendazole with good success. It takes about two weeks before hydra are destroyed. The treatment can be repeated at four weeks, to destroy any second-generation hydra not killed by the first treatment. After the second treatment, a water change should be done.
Best wishes.
A question frequently asked of 1A-Wirbellose.de:
How is Flubendazole dosed into an aquarium?
Answer (Christian Peter Steinle):
Flubendazole contains an active ingredient commonly used in veterinary and human medicine. It is also used for some agricultural and industry uses, as well. A tablet placed in water is relatively insoluble, so whether it is placed in a small amount of water, or larger amount of water, the concentration let out into the water is essentially similar. It will only dissolve to a very small concentration in the water, and then is insoluble beyond that. So unless the amount of water is very huge (> 1000 liters), one tablet will suffice to treat all volumes, putting the same concentration of medicine into the solution.
A question frequently asked of 1A-Wirbellose.de:
So with Flubendazole there is no meaning to "dosage amount?" One tablet gives the same treatment in a 30 liter tank as it does in a 1000 liter tank? Can you explain how this is?
Answer (Christian Peter Steinle):
Flubendazol is largely insoluble in water. When a tablet is placed in water, so little of it dissolves that the water gets the same miniscule concentration, then it stops dissolving further, whether it's a small volume of water, or a large volume of water. This tiny concentration is fully circulated throughout the water by the aquarium's filter pump, and all the hydra are treated. So it is not necessary to speak in terms of dosage accuracy, since the concentration is dictated by the low solubility in water. The active ingredient is harmless to everything but worms and hydra.
Friendly greetings
Christian Peter Steinle
1A-Wirbellose thanks Christian Peter Steinle for details answer of our questions.