Never using anything but Tropica plants again

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Sylvan

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I've used Tropica plants exclusively in all my tanks except for my 5g. That tank was originally set up by my sister when she lived at home and had plants from one of the LFSs in it. When I bought my Betta Coccinas from the same shop I picked up another plant for the 5g to replace one that had died off because the local Pets at Home who stock Tropica plants didn't have anything similar in at that time. After about a week movement caught my eye that was different from the shrimp so I looked and discovered a damselfly nymph in there. Now I'd given the plant a rinse before it went in the tank but it must have held on tightly. Fished it out, checked the tank and couldn't see anymore so thought that was the end of it. Last week I glanced at the tank to watch the shrimp then realised I could see something that was green, moving and not a plant. Another damselfly nymph. Over the last 2 weeks I've fished out 5 nymphs so far and I'm pretty certain there's at least one more in the tank that slipped the net. At least now I know why I had so many berried shrimp then next to no shrimplets appearing.
 
I just found one too a few days ago. :eek:
Annoying little things aren't they. I love the adults when they're in the garden or by the lake when I walk the dogs but not in my tank. I should have gone back and said something when I found the first one but it became one of those things that I never got round to doing and when I finally popped back in I completely forgot because I was thinking about what I needed to buy.
 
I couldn't work out why I couldn't see any new shrimp when I'd had at least 5 berried females and I only have shrimp in there at the moment. I know why now! Just wish I'd caught the last one I'd seen. I mentioned it to my sisters boyfriend who also keeps fish and bought his plants from the same shop and he's also had the same problem in the past.
 
They go after small fish too besides shrimp, I have been spending more time checking my tanks since I had that one. Larger fish will just eat them but all I have is small fish and shrimp.???? I am going to lengthen the time I isolate my plants. Another problem is that they look simular to young shrimp at a distance so you have to look close. The one I had was in the young beginning stage.
 
If I didn't think he'd target the shrimp instead I'd be tempted to move Triton the betta into that tank to see if he'd clean house but I feel like that would lead to a shrimp massacre.
 
What are these and what do they look like? As far as I know I only have snail problems with plants - I've never heard of a damselfly nymph - are they easy to see and what do they kill?
 
This is what they look like. They're hard to spot against the plants, I've only noticed them I think because they've grown and the plant they came in on is dying off so they're easier to see. Easy enough to kill, net them out, put them in tissue and squash.
damselfly-larva-e1456146620340.jpg
 
They're carnivorous so anything small enough to fit in their mouths like shrimplets or small fish fry.
 
Pulled another 3 out this afternoon! They're taking over. I also had a shrimp who was insistant on going for a ride on the net. 9 damselfly nymphs so far.
 
That’s ridiculous!

I have a problem with lady bugs for some reason, they get in my house and then fall into my tanks. Sometimes I can get them out in time, but usually they’re dead by the time I find them.
 
I've put new plants in mason jars before. Let them sit awhile to see if any hitchhikers are on them.
 

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