# cloudy water due planaria outbreak



## fishman87 (Oct 17, 2012)

Hey everyone. My tank recently finished cycling. About a week ago. I used frozen bloodworms to kickstart the cycle which worked great but now I have a planaria outbreak in the tank and its giving my water a cloudy look. I've done some research and have been trying to rid them by not feeding. I haven't fed the tank for a few days now and it seems to have SLIGHTLY helped but I still have cloudy water. My tank is medium planted with two wisteria, a large Java fern, and two moss balls. I also have a dojo loach and 3 forktail rainbows. I want that crystal clear water I've had in previous tanks but I'm worried about starving my fish along with the planaria. Does anyone have any plant safe medications for planaria? I plan on adding shrimp and an African dwarf frog so I want the water to be safe for them also. Any and all suggestions are appreciated. Thanks!


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## navigator black (Jan 3, 2012)

You have it backwards - you have planaria due to whatever is clouding your water. I'd suggest you do a lot of water changes to bring it around. The planaria will fade back, then the frogs will eat the forktails and maybe the dojo loach if it is tiny. If it's anywhere near its possible maximum size, 12 inches, it's safe. In that case, the frogs won't be...
It's not a tropical loach though. You do have an issue with warmth loving forktails and cool water dojos.

There is no medication for planaria - they aren't a disease. They are opportunists who reproduce madly in dirty tanks, and that die off just as quickly in clean ones. If your tank conditions are good, you won't see them often. If I see one here, I immediately do a 30% water change, and the problem's solved.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

So much Planaria in the tank that you believe it is the Planaria that is making it cloudy> that sounds like a butt-ton of Planaria. I would guess, as in most cases, the Planaria is from overfeeding and in your case also the cause of the cloudy water. The cloudiness is not likely Planaria free-floating in the water.


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## fishman87 (Oct 17, 2012)

OK... this is not my first fish tank. In fact ive had em all my life. This is my first time using a forum and I see why.. my water is NOT cloudy.. I don't overfeed.. the planaria gives the appearance of cloudy water.. so far people only tell me I'm wrong instead of giving advice on how to fix it. No wonder I never used these forums.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

The only way to fix it is water changes and deep vacumning. The cause of planeria is overfeeding. With deep vacumning you will get rid of them eventually and feed less.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

much information on planaria has blood worms listed as food aquarist was using.Don't be offended about overfeeding/water quality comments as these are listed every time with info on worm.Also listed is very diffacult to eliminate(besides less feeding and massive water changes;many wormers attempted without success.)One different source says possibly play sand as source since many don't believe eggs could survive deep freeze to be imported with blood worms.Also on overfeeding ; many carnivorous fish are known to pass great amounts of protien right through them to waste(leading many to assume "overfeeding").If your water is good try a less protien saturated food as to not pass through fish to worm.One way to kill listed was salt right on them(if you see),watch them turn green(die) vaccum out right after.You are not obligated to follow advice offered but many who responded to your post so far know their stuff!


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## markao (Aug 21, 2012)

It just amazes me.About on every forum you see some one post a problem with water conditions.Every time some one replies that it may be due to over feeding the original poster gets bent out of shape.That usually means the responders have hit the nail on the head to a degree.

So why come to a forum looking for advice if you feel these forums are of no use.I was one several forums over the years and I had my up and downs with them.Some times I would wonder about replies I got but I took them with the attitude that every one has an opinion and you have to respect that.Even if they were way off base.I found this forum and so far it has been the best I have found.I thought I knew quite a bit about keeping an aquarium but the info and advice here as really helped me out.Never assume you know every thing because there is not a person alive that knows everything about anything.

*old dude


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

That is very true, I've been keeping fish more than 30 years and still learning something new everyday.


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## navigator black (Jan 3, 2012)

Sorry if my message came off wrong. I have never seen so many Planaria that they made the water look cloudy - that is a serious worm festival. 

But planaria are always overfeeding - they don't reproduce wildly unless there is nourishment to support them. And if the idea of overfeeding makes you touchy, I know this because like everyone else here, I sometimes overfeed, and get Planaria... It isn't meant as an accusation, but rather as an observation.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Exactly....


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## fishman87 (Oct 17, 2012)

I've done a couple of 35% changes and have been barley feeding.. water is almost at that crystal clear look I want. Thanks to everyone for the advice


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## navigator black (Jan 3, 2012)

It's fascinating how conditions will differ. I have never had a tank go cloudy, even a new one. I've kept fish all my life, and in a number of cities (different water systems). I cycle with fish in by keeping low populations, and I religiously change large volumes of water.
Right now, I have 35 tanks, and in the past when I was working with the aquarium business, I had double that for years. I have never once seen these phenomena that so many people report as a matter of course. When I try to get green water, I can't make it happen, and the one time I ever saw a bacterial bloom in the water (a few hours) it was because I tried one of the commercial bacterial quick starter products.
Most of my fishkeeping has been in one region on one water table, so I assume it's the water I start with from the tap that never clouds up in the cycle. It's one of those things that leave me wary of broad statements about other set-ups - what can be expected in one part of the world can be rare in another.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Dmitri;I've done large water changes for years(10-15).I've never had cloudy water .I do large water changes(50% sometimes) on all my tanks.A broad statement that large changes cause cloudy water is not accurate..Bacterial blooms are more symptomatic of overfeeding or not properly cleaned filter(a broad statement with some accuracy).As for 15% water change;in a real keepers world that hardly counts for anything,as you cut your nutrients by the % of water you change(example is 20 nitrates with 15% wc yields nitrates of 17)hardly noticeable on test or to fish.Many have different opinions on wc volumes and schedule .I change more than most/more often than most and wouldn't sacrafice my quality ,just to change less.


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## dalfed (Apr 8, 2012)

Dmitri you can do a 100 per cent water change and as long as substrate, filter and objects in tank do not dry out you will have no cycling issue. The water itself holds very little in the way of helpful bacteria. That being said if your water conditions don't match up very close to the water you take out problems will arise on heavy changes.


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## chipmunk1210 (Jul 3, 2012)

I have never had my water be cloudy because of the cycle. It was always my substrate settling in, me messing around in the tank, by cleaning my dirty filters(when I pull them out to rinse them they leak particulates into the tank water), or by overfeeding. My water is usually deceptively clear through a cycle.


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## chipmunk1210 (Jul 3, 2012)

> Dude. Wow. Now there's an ignorant post. No, just no. So wrong, your fish probably suffer so.much under your care. Please do some research on nitrogen cycling.


Dmitri-this statement right here makes it very clear that YOU do not fully understand the nitrogen cycle. You can remove 100% of the water and still keep a cycle. You have to replace it will similar conditioned water(don't want a heavy metal killing some bacteria) and you have to do it soon after removing the first water since the bacteria need the filters back on for the aireation. The water column really doesn't hold much of the bacteria. The filter, substrate, wood, and plants hold the majority of your bacteria. As long as you do not do anything but remove the water-the cycle should survive with very little hiccup. Also telling someone that their fish will suffer in their care is just downright mean.


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## dalfed (Apr 8, 2012)

Dmitri said:


> Dude. Wow. Now there's an ignorant post. No, just no. So wrong, your fish probably suffer so.much under your care. Please do some research on nitrogen cycling.


The Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter bacteria that use ammonia and nitrite for energy need two criteria to survive, a place to live and oxygen. These bacteria are surface dwellers and will live on most any material you place in your filter, plastic media, filter pads, floss, gravel, etc. As the water from your aquarium is pulled through your particular filter, whether it is a hang-on-the-back power filter, undergravel filter, canister filter or wet-dry filter, the bacteria living on the material in your filter receive a constant supply of fresh oxygen. This is a very important point to understand. High water flow rates through a filter are necessary to supply the bacteria within with essential oxygen.
Understanding Biological Filtration - Jody Karlin

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Lots of sights but this one specialises in nitrobacteria notice the words surface dweller, you can only be taught by a teacher if you listen to everything he says not parts and make up the rest!


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Dmitri; possibly never having water NOT be cloudy for a week is a signal of your understanding of cycle.And if changing water is useless you need to write a book that contradicts all others and hope someone buys it! I'm not buying.I grow fish and change water.And just curious with your infinate understanding of the cycle;if nitrates are end result of the cycle how do you get rid of them(possibly you feel they're ok?).I don't wonder whose fish suffer,I know now.


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