Strange Fish

[Munroco]

I have a few large plastic tubs in my garden that I use for breeding daphnia and for holding spare plants from my pond till I can give them away. I decided to try keeping Cherry shrimp in one of them. It has some small water lilies that I cut from my main one.
 
Yesterday while I was watching the shrimp I saw this eel like creature swimming along the bottom. It was about the size and shape of a medium size kuhli loach and was a light brown colour. I was going out so didn't have time to catch it. Today I went out to look for it but there are lots of hiding places and I saw no sign of it. There have never been fish in these tubs so I have no idea what it is or how it got there. Any ideas?

 

[Ch4rlie]

Hmm, this is sounding suspiciously like a damselflie nymph, they swim 'eel' like.
 
The reason i suspect this is mainly due to the fact you used some small water lilies from your pond. Damselflies (and dragonflies also), lays their eggs on plants under the water surface, very commonly in ponds.
 
These creatures can be coloured brown or green dependant on specie and gender, grows to about maybe 3 - 4 inches max, as larvae and juveniles they live under water predating on small insects, shrimps, and small fish. Then as adults they will leave their aquatic domain and develop their wings and become fiully fledged damselfly or dragonfly.
 
Have a look at my thread about damselfly nymphs, and see if there is any similarities, the only thing thats missing is a picture of them swimming, they truly do swim in a wriggling manner not disimilar to eel swimming.
 
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/424490-damselfly-nymph/?hl=damselfly

 

[Munroco]

Nah, definitely not them Charlie, I've seen these often enough in my pond. This thing had no legs or appendages that I could see. It was in view for just 2-3 secs and it looked just like a kuhli loach albeit a sandy brown colour. I didn't get a look at its head. I'm pretty sure its a fish/eel species but I can't imagine how it got there.
 
I had another look today but no sign. I'm gonna go out after dark with a torch and see if I can see it.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Hmm, intriguing.
 
I'd sure like to know what that is now, does sound interesting.
 
My curiousity has been piqued now
 
If you can, get a pic of it somehow if you manage to capture it

 

[Munroco]

Found it, its a bloody big leech. When it stretches out its about 4 inches long, when its in its "blob" shape its about 1 inch long. I saw a few little ones too, I'll need to get them out of there.
 
http/www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/video/leech-in-pond-hd-stock-footage/114120433
 
(this is a vid I found, you can see it swimming near the end)

 

[Ch4rlie]

Urgh leech

That's kind of disappointing

Ah well, now you know, but it's weird the leech really does look like an eel.

Will remember that one.

 

[Baccus]

I have always found it rather fun to tease water borne leeches, but I dare say you might have some fun removing them from your pond. I once had some turn up in one of my tanks and it took ages to hunt them all down and kill them. Thankfully they didnt appear to be leeches that had any interest in my body warmth or blood nor my fishes.