Help Catapillars

[pastabake]

Hi,

I've just started a planted tank, a couple weeks back I set it all up put in the plants and left it to settle. Some have died, but most have shown signs of life and some even put on a fair bit of growth.

Along with the plants came snails ... they said in the literature that came with the plants that they had been treated for snails, not that I'm too bothered but I could have done without them. Just as I was about to start the fishless cycle I noticed that there were some mysterious fry 8 in all, so even if I wanted to start cycling I now can't as my son is insistent that they survive.

Anyway I notoced a couple of days ago that the vasalis was being eaten, I initially though it was snails though I hadn't actually seen them do it, however today I found two catapillars both of which were between bits of leaves floating in the surface. I say catapillars as that's what they look like about 1cm long and pale green in colour, thoiugh I never knew that catapillars could go underwater.

Has anyone else had this problem and know what they are and what to do if anything.

Thanks in advance
PB

 

[Themuleous]

Not heard of these before, could be an aquatic invertebrate -dragonflies, mayflies, etc. Could you post a pic?

Sam

 

[drewry]

Hi,

I've just started a planted tank, a couple weeks back I set it all up put in the plants and left it to settle. Some have died, but most have shown signs of life and some even put on a fair bit of growth.

Along with the plants came snails ... they said in the literature that came with the plants that they had been treated for snails, not that I'm too bothered but I could have done without them. Just as I was about to start the fishless cycle I noticed that there were some mysterious fry 8 in all, so even if I wanted to start cycling I now can't as my son is insistent that they survive.

Anyway I notoced a couple of days ago that the vasalis was being eaten, I initially though it was snails though I hadn't actually seen them do it, however today I found two catapillars both of which were between bits of leaves floating in the surface. I say catapillars as that's what they look like about 1cm long and pale green in colour, thoiugh I never knew that catapillars could go underwater.

Has anyone else had this problem and know what they are and what to do if anything.

Thanks in advance
PB

hi pastabake

i have the same problem at the minite i was going to start a thread but u beet me to it .
i got 3 plants last week and the leaves started to diserpearing and when i was looking at the plants the leaves was moveing and twitching on the plants, theyve actualy wraped the leaves round them iv pulled about 30 caterpillers off the plants so far so look closely at ure plants as ull probly have a lot more .
i havent got a clue what they are

 

[garuf]

I know what they are, they're larvae of some winged critter. I had the same problem with some plants I got from greenline, I contacted him and he replaced the plants FOC.

 

[pastabake]

Thanks for that, thats where I bought my plants from too.

 

[garuf]

Email him, it's a known problem he'll be more than happy to sort it out.