Dragonflies In My Tank

[Theplayboy]

Ok so i did my daily "pick as many snails out the tank as you can" routine on my 60l Cherry Shrimp tank. And first notice a small dragon fly with wings. Then on further inspection noticed that there were some dragonfly nymphs in the water as well.

Are they harmful?
How do i get rid of them?
How did they get in there?

 

[VickiandKev]

Well, in ponds they eat tadpoles so I'd be worried for the safety of your shrimp.

Is this an open-topped tank? Near a window?
It's weird but a dragonfly may have flown in and laid some eggs last season.

I don't know how obvious dragonfly eggs are - I think they're laid just below the water's surface on a plant usually or sometimes inserted into a plant's stem - have you bought new plants for this tank since last August? They may have come inside a plant stem if any grower's had their tanks somewhere that dragonflies could get to them.

I wouldn't kill the nymphs, but perhaps raise them in a different tank - they are predatory though, so you need to feed them suitably, and then they can go into your garden when metamorphosed

 

[Paradise3]

I have had one of these before i think it came on a plant i got because i got a plant then a few days later i found a dragonfly nymph in the tank.

Xxx~misscosmo~xxX

 

[Theplayboy]

Well, in ponds they eat tadpoles so I'd be worried for the safety of your shrimp.

Is this an open-topped tank? Near a window? Nope closed lid. Yes near a window but not one that is ever open.
It's weird but a dragonfly may have flown in and laid some eggs last season. Tank has only been set up since Jan (although filter was running in another tank

I don't know how obvious dragonfly eggs are - I think they're laid just below the water's surface on a plant usually or sometimes inserted into a plant's stem - have you bought new plants for this tank since last August? Erm....dont think so i move my plants around alot between mine and my mums tanks. I added some flame moss 2 days ago but i wouldnt of thought it could come in that could it? They may have come inside a plant stem if any grower's had their tanks somewhere that dragonflies could get to them.

I wouldn't kill the nymphs why?, but perhaps raise them in a different tank i dont want baby dragonflies. - they are predatory though, so you need to feed them suitably, and then they can go into your garden when metamorphosed

 

[VickiandKev]

Or give the nymphs to someone to put in their pond

 

[Theplayboy]

i no just the person as well!

Shall i just catch them in a net and then transport them in some water?

 

[VickiandKev]

Yeah, I would imagine that would be fine - have never transported dragonfly nymphs myself though

 

[Theplayboy]

lol ok thanks

 

[Ben M]

sounds good, but why don't you want to grow them yourself? i find them really cool. it was really fun watching my damselfly nymphs develop into damselflies. or am i just weird...

cheers

 

[Ludwig Venter]

sounds good, but why don't you want to grow them yourself? i find them really cool. it was really fun watching my damselfly nymphs develop into damselflies. or am i just weird...

cheers

They are extremely detrimenntal in a breeding tank where you have fry... Their prime objective is to shoot out that bottom jaw and catch your fry... suck 'em dry and catch the next one... They have caused me a lot of damage in my outside ponds and I will not promote the propagation of dragonfly larvae... remove 'em, and kill 'em.... Probably imported on plants.

 

[Ben M]

but they're so cool! i agree though that it's best not to keep them in a tank with fish.

cheers

 

[Theplayboy]

Yea i dont really want to keep them as im breeding the cherries in there.

 

[Balloons&killies]

When i got live plants for my 27g i got a nymph and when i was moving the plants around and then it was like on my hand and it scared me so much i like ran out of the room and then later i found it caught it and flushed it !!!!


I really hate buggs!!

They give me the shivers!!!