Pet Leech help!

[Publicreign]

Hello! I need some help with my pet leech!
They are new to me and i just recently purchased these!

I recently did a water change and now one of my leeches is very lumpy
I used bottle spring water for water change.

If anyone keeps leeches that could give me advice that would be great!

 

[schmiggle]

@MTA

With fish you're not supposed to do a full water change, but I'm not sure about these guys.

 

[MTA]

Thats not a good sign, i personally don't use spring water, and i just use water from the tap and add dechlorinator I get from a petstore. From the leech group on facebook I have seen people heal leeches by putting catappa leaves, or alder cones, since the tannins apparently heal the leech. I would try that, you can get them online. Also i would give that leech a bigger container, you want around a gallon for medicinal leeches. I would also join the leech group on facebook, as the people on there have much more experience healing sick or damaged leeches. Also 100% water changes aren't bad for leeches, and you'll have to do it if they vomit blood, or poop.

 

[Quetzalcoatl Nyarlathotep]

For any water dwelling annelid, you will want to get clean pond water. They need lots of hiding places as they don't really care for light. I used a 20 gallon fish tank from the pet store and it worked perfectly. What I did though might be different than others, I made an ecosystem where the leeches would be at the top of the food chain, and I had living pond plants and all sorts of cool stuff. This was many years ago, but I found that swamp ecosystems are wonderfully diverse and fragile. Baby dragonflies are really cool too. So are giant water bugs. Just don't let them jab you with their rostrum. It is quite painful. The plants in the water help to produce oxygen in the mostly stagnant environment that leeches love. Hope this helps! The key here is adding a bunch of living water plants to your aquarium, this will offer a multitude of hides and give the leeches fresh oxygen.

 

[Publicreign]

I know with fish your not supposed to and with this dude i havent i did a half water change to get its shed skin out

 

[Quetzalcoatl Nyarlathotep]

I know with fish your not supposed to and with this dude i havent i did a half water change to get its shed skin out

Some fish need circulating water, some don't. But Leeches for the most part do really bad when the water is treated with chemicals, they breathe through their skin, and like anything that breathes, chemicals don't usually do much good for their respiratory systems. Go find a pond and remember that that pond likely contains the same leeches you have, so the water will usually be just fine. Most leeches live their entire lives in dirty swamp water, and they live for a good long while if they remain healthy.

 

[Publicreign]

Should i do another water change with the tap and dechlorinator and add catappa leaves? I have betta so i always have those on hand

Thats not a good sign, i personally don't use spring water, and i just use water from the tap and add dechlorinator I get from a petstore. From the leech group on facebook I have seen people heal leeches by putting catappa leaves, or alder cones, since the tannins apparently heal the leech. I would try that, you can get them online. Also i would give that leech a bigger container, you want around a gallon for medicinal leeches. I would also join the leech group on facebook, as the people on there have much more experience healing sick or damaged leeches. Also 100% water changes aren't bad for leeches, and you'll have to do it if they vomit blood, or poop.

 

[Publicreign]

Also what is the name of the facebook group?

Thats not a good sign, i personally don't use spring water, and i just use water from the tap and add dechlorinator I get from a petstore. From the leech group on facebook I have seen people heal leeches by putting catappa leaves, or alder cones, since the tannins apparently heal the leech. I would try that, you can get them online. Also i would give that leech a bigger container, you want around a gallon for medicinal leeches. I would also join the leech group on facebook, as the people on there have much more experience healing sick or damaged leeches. Also 100% water changes aren't bad for leeches, and you'll have to do it if they vomit blood, or poop.

 

[MTA]

Also what is the name of the facebook group?

Heres the group name, also yes you would mix the tap water and dechlorinater, make sure you mix it then you put it in the leech container, also plants are very good for leeches, pothos cuttings, duckweed, elodea, and hornwort are all plants that will help remove waste and oxygenate. Also yes you would just add the almond leaves, but im not sure how much, i would ask the group that.

 

[Publicreign]

View attachment 291019
Heres the group name, also yes you would mix the tap water and dechlorinater, make sure you mix it then you put it in the leech container, also plants are very good for leeches, pothos cuttings, duckweed, elodea, and hornwort are all plants that will help remove waste and oxygenate. Also yes you would just add the almond leaves, but im not sure how much, i would ask the group that.

Thank you so much for the help! I just put them in their containers with the leaves and dechlorinated water. I also grow pothos so i will put a clipping in as well!

 

[Publicreign]

I ended up putting some mossballs in each i think they will enjoy that

View attachment 291019
Heres the group name, also yes you would mix the tap water and dechlorinater, make sure you mix it then you put it in the leech container, also plants are very good for leeches, pothos cuttings, duckweed, elodea, and hornwort are all plants that will help remove waste and oxygenate. Also yes you would just add the almond leaves, but im not sure how much, i would ask the group that.