Hi! I'm looking into getting Hirudo verbana, and was wondering if anyone would be able to answer a couple of questions about water parameters for them since I'm finding some conflicting information online. Thank you in advance!

1. What's their ideal water temperature? Would they benefit from a small water heater (ideally external so they can't get stuck to it and hurt themselves) if the ambient room temperature is around 68-70°f?

2. How "hard" is too hard for their water? I have some water test strips and they come back close to the upper range, which I assume is too hard for leeches. Would they do better in spring or mineral water if that's the case?

I'm guessing they're Asian freshwater leeches. I got them originally as hitchhikers from outdoor pond plants. I've been separating them into a different container, but honestly don't see them afterwards, so I'm not sure their status. Just checking if someone would like them; meet up in the northern suburbs ideally.

Otherwise any care info is appreciated. In elementary school one of my teachers kept leeches and I remember her putting in a fish head every so often, but on this sub it seems they should be getting blood; is fresh fish not suitable? I of course don't know what species the teacher had, I remember them being 2–5" long, not as beefy as the buffalo leech photos frequenting this sub.

Hi! I have two adult H. verbana in a tank together. Both have visible clitella so I assume they’re fertile. Assuming they haven’t yet, is there anything I can do to get them to mate and produce cocoons. Temperature should be right/warm enough and they have a land area with plenty of sphagnum.

Also also! If anybody is selling buffalo leeches I’d love to buy someday

Thanks!!

Cuddle puddle after a health exam. I love my babies!

It’s weird how particular they are. They love pre-crushed snails even though they can hunt by themselves, and sometimes they’ll only suck out the innards and leave the rest of the snail behind. One of them seems to be parading a pond snail’s foot around while its babies clean off what’s left inside.

These were the size of a pinto bean just a couple of months ago after only one or two feedings. Here we are

Hey my friends! Wanted to ask ya’ll about what type of care leeches need when creating their setup.

My general knowledge was that they could be housed in a jar and that’s predominantly what j see.

Im hearing that they need space and need tank mates. I was considering getting 2-3 but I am also worried about them breeding and would like to best avoid that.

For their tank set up? I’m seeing gravel as their substrate. Is there an ideal set up I should consider?

I’m considering a 5 gallon since 10 is too big for me imo

Do I need a water filter? What supplies would I need? Thank you!

Hello all, I know reddit isn't typically the place for professional inquires but since leech keeping is so niche it's a pretty centralized place to dicuss them both casually and professionally. With that said, is anyone looking for or know someone looking for a research aid in any capcity? It's a very small field so getting involved is a challenge but if anyone knows of any volunteer or paid work involving leech research, whether it be from a biochemical or ecological angle, let me know as I would love to make an impact in this brilliant, yet still evolving field!
I'm currently a freshman studying nueroscience so I have a background in chemistry and biology, and I'm willing to learn anything needed to get to work with these wonderful creatures.
Thank you as always!

My baby Verbana :) ignore the moss mess they left

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Heyy! I wanna get a pet leech for my apartment but I need it to not be in an aquarium of sorts because I TECHNICALLY am not allowed to have pets. I was thinking of a large jar plus another modified jar for breeding with moss (?). I like in the EU in a usually warm weathered place with cold winters. I also dont actively live in the apartment so during summer the leeches are gonna have to come with me on a 7-8 hour bus ride. What are essentials, which specie do I get, and how long do they live? Also can I keep em in the fridge?

As for diet I was thinking of just letting them feed on my own blood.

Is there anything else I should know (like info i cannot easily google when I google what to get for pet leech and then the dumb ai starts speaking) and should I be getting one at all (considering the bus rides, I dont leave often but I do leave during the summer for 3 month plus 2 weeks for Christmas)

Ty for reading! Any info is helpful ^^

Hello all, my leeches are almost ready for their adult tank, so I'm currently in the proccess of seting it up but I wanted to ask your thoughts on whether or not it would be safe to use a sponge filter without the the plastic tube attacthed. I want to add a filter for plant health, ease of cycling for their tankmates and just overall water quality but the waterline falls to low to use it normally. Would it still be safe to use like this?
Also if you'd take the time to look over my setup and point out any issues I'd really appreciate it! I know the tank is a bit bare at the moment but I'll give them plenty of mossy hides both underwater and in their land areas, as well as plenlty of plant cover (I'm thinking various types of mosses and amazon frogbit, maybe I'll leave a pathos with roots dangling in the water to grow up out of the tank, that sounds pretty.
I also have a date coming over so we'll see how she reacts to the tankfull of giant leeches 😅 Anyway, thanks as always, you guys are awesome!

If you have a question that can be asked in a few brief sentences, please ask it here! This is the ideal place for people who don't keep leeches and are curious about them to ask.

Please remember to be civil. This thread is for Q&A only, not debate.

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or i should say at least not suffering? wanna make sure my girls (pamela & dallas :)) are content. any behaviors i should be on the lookout for?

i recently took some pond plants to add to my aquarium and ive had them in quarentine for a couple of days before i got to clean them properly and i saw a leech in there, i managed to separate it and i wonder what kind or type of leech is? as i said came with plants from a stagnant pond, south america (the continent).

Research seems to give me mixed results for what is best for them (and I understand care guides can be inconsistent or outdated!), so I have come here searching for an answer. I have not yet purchased the leeches so this isn't urgent.

I tried taking a picture when I first accidentally got the fella, but have been unfortunately not able to figure out what kind it is! And looking up Maine leeches just gives me ways to exterminate them 🙄

Does anyone know of a good place to try and identify them? (ESPECIALLY SINCE I JUST CHECK ON IT YESTERDAY AND IT HAD BABIES)

I can try taking another picture of it, it's just a bit challenging since it's smaller and kinda clearish in color

Hi guys! I love leeches, especially bigger ones (I love seeing their bodies - their shape makes me so happy). I currently have a freshwater fishtank and an isopod habitat, so I’m familiar with caring for little guys.

I’d really love to get a leech, and have the funds to set up a new tank. But I also have ehlers danlos, and a few other conditions that would not make me a very good blood supply. Will the leech still have a good quality of life if I give them blood purchased from a butcher? There’s lots of fancy butchers in nyc that likely have organic stuff. I’d be happy to fill something up with the blood and warm it. But I just don’t want to get an animal if I can’t give it the kind of feeding style they need.

Also, do leeches live better lives when there’s more than one in the tank? I’m trying to figure out if they would need a friend, or if they could be a single leech. I’m also curious about enrichment for them? And I wonder too, if I could ever let the leech sit on my hand? They look like soft plump potatoes in some pictures, and I love that so much.

If anyone has any advice, suggestions, or experiences to share, I’d be very grateful!

I’ve looked into the requirements to house and care for one, I don’t mind letting the little dude bite me. But where the FUDGE do I buy just one leech?

I feel absolutely terrible. Last year I was at the lowest point in my life in active psychosis. I was genuinely convinced that there was nobody on earth that could/would ever tolerate me and so I got a leech because I wanted something to "depend on me". Fucked up I know but I was not sound of mind. I fed it once and suffered terrible nightmares and hallucinations for weeks and so I neglected it ever since. I feel really horrible about this because a part of me knows it's a living organism but I'm just so scared of it I can't touch it or let it out or anything. It's been about a year since I fed it and it's still alive. What do I do