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Leaches
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Topic: Leaches (Read 2398 times)
dtw
Hectare
Posts: 1,186
What grows, You decide!
Leaches
«
on:
November 17, 2008, 20:11:05 »
Do they contribute to the healthiness of the pond?
I seem to have loads in mine.
They don't seem to be harming the fish, it's just that I don't like them attaching themselves to me when I clean out the pond.
Can they be got rid of easily?
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OllieC
Global Moderator
Hectare
Posts: 3,390
Nairn
Re: Leaches
«
Reply #1 on:
November 17, 2008, 20:21:36 »
Are you sure they're leaches? There is a little veggie thing that looks a bit like one... Or so I was told once.
I think!
«
Last Edit: November 17, 2008, 20:24:21 by OllieC
»
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hellohelenhere
Hectare
Posts: 620
Reading, Berkshire
Re: Leaches
«
Reply #2 on:
November 17, 2008, 20:25:53 »
Ollie, you might be thinking of lampreys? But they live in rivers, not ponds.
Sorry, have no idea what you can do about leeches. Yccchhhhhh!!!
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http://backgardenallotmenteer.blogspot.com/
OllieC
Global Moderator
Hectare
Posts: 3,390
Nairn
Re: Leaches
«
Reply #3 on:
November 17, 2008, 20:32:04 »
ewww, yuck! (having done a bit of googling)... no, not them... crikey! Monsters!
On phone to dad in a mo so will ask him. I had them in one of my food "ponds" as a kid (bins for growing food for my tropical fish)...
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OllieC
Global Moderator
Hectare
Posts: 3,390
Nairn
Re: Leaches
«
Reply #4 on:
November 17, 2008, 20:56:14 »
I'm thinking of Planarians and I'm wrong... they wouldn't grip to you apparently! I'd love leeches, aren't they quite rare?
«
Last Edit: November 17, 2008, 21:00:33 by OllieC
»
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Suzanne
Hectare
Posts: 1,507
sun is shining
Re: Leaches
«
Reply #5 on:
November 18, 2008, 16:52:20 »
You get a number of different leeches in ponds - the most common being Erpobdella sp (liver coloured and longish) and Glossiphonia sp (light green colour with darker dots on the back - also broad) these both feed on snails or invertebrates so not a risk to your fish.
Another type Pisicola sp (which if I remember are light green coloured but long with very noticeable sucker bits)do predate on fish. If you get a good freshwater invertebrate book you should be able to tell which types you have. But likely you have a good balance which just reflects a healthy pond.
If you have the medicinal leech (Hirudo sp) I think these are protected now as fairly rare. There are some others that are rare as well but can't remember their names at the moment.
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dtw
Hectare
Posts: 1,186
What grows, You decide!
Re: Leaches
«
Reply #6 on:
November 18, 2008, 18:24:05 »
I think they must be Erpobdella, no.8 in this picture.
I looked up the Hirudo and found this beauty.
I certainly wouldn't put my hand in the pond if I knew that was in there.
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Suzanne
Hectare
Posts: 1,507
sun is shining
Re: Leaches
«
Reply #7 on:
November 18, 2008, 22:34:59 »
From memory Erpobdella may be No7 - its a long time since I last did an invertebrate sample from a river. Not sure but No8 may be a horse leech - can't remember the latin name.
No 1 is definitely a pisicola - very definite suckers.
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Ishard
Hectare
Posts: 660
Re: Leaches
«
Reply #8 on:
November 19, 2008, 14:02:16 »
Dishwasher salt (salt with no anticaking additives) gets rid of leaches, and they do indeed stick to fish :(
1/2 imperial ounce per gallon for 1 week then do a partial water change of 10%.
Remove any water plants before adding salt as the salt will usually kill the plants.
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