Damselfly larvae

[Aussie_Bristle]

Hi all

I saw this little guy when I was moving the almond leave around in the shrimp tank today and thought what the and it quickly went and hide. I was looking in the shrimp tank again tonight before turning the light off and saw it again. Well this little bugger took me for a ride around the tank but I got it. All adult shrimp are fine but I’m sure it’s got to my babies Honestly not sure how it got in or how long it’s been in there but it got destroyed as soon as I realised what it was!

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Here is some info on Damselfly nymphs:

Damselfly nymphs

Suborder Zygoptera
Danger: May consume fry.
How it gets in your tank: Plants, Live food, damselflies laying eggs in your tank(unlikely if indoors).
Size: Often ≤ 2inch
Larval stage of damselfly life cycle, are [acronym="Insects (Class Insecta) are the biggest class of arthropods and the only ones with wings. They are the most diverse group of animals on the planet. They are most diverse at the equator and their diversity declines toward the poles. With over a million described species—more than half of all known living organisms—with estimates of undescribed species as high as 30 million, thus potentially representing over 90% of the differing life forms on the planet. Insects may be found in nearly all environments on the planet, although only a small number of species occur in the oceans, a habitat dominated by another arthropod group, the crustaceans."]insects[/acronym]. Have extendable jaws. Live underwater for several years before turning into adults. Have a three pronged 'tail'. Link, Identification Help.

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Glad you killed it - those things can be nasty. Hope you didn't loose that many fish.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Oh man, I see these in my garden pond and leave them be there, but it's a nightmare to imagine one being in my guppy or shrimp tank. They even look like the predatory little beasts they are!

Glad you got him. I'm sure you already know to keep a look out to see if there are any more in there. Have heard of them coming into tanks on plants that were grown outdoors, and turned out to have dragon or damselfly eggs on them.

 

[Retired Viking]

I found one in my shrimp tank last year, it had killed 6 of my shrimp before I decided to take out all my plants and search the tank to see what was killing my shrimp. Nasty little buggers. I would search your tank really good there may be more.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I found one in my shrimp tank last year, it had killed 6 of my shrimp before I decided to take out all my plants and search the tank to see what was killing my shrimp. Nasty little buggers. I would search your tank really good there may be more.

Agreed. If there is one, there is bound to be another one. Those photos make me cringe...

 

[Sylvan]

I found one in my shrimp tank then after a bit I found another 10. Hate the little monsters.

 

[Retired Viking]

They are nasty killing machines, I am pretty sure mine came in with a plant even after I had washed it and had the plant in a separate container for over a week before adding it to my tank.

 

[Aussie_Bristle]

I did check the tank after I found it but will have another look after work today. Hopefully it was just one I had.

 

[Sylvan]

I did check the tank after I found it but will have another look after work today. Hopefully it was just one I had.

They are the masters of hiding. There was a month's gap between me finding the first one and the next then I found them all over a couple of weeks.

 

[Aussie_Bristle]

Well this is what I have to look through It’s like the African jungle!!God help me

 

[Sylvan]

Ermmm.... That will be fun to search through.