Strange Creature Found In My Tropical Fish Tank.

[briannecowley]

I started my tank a couple of weeks ago, & added some baby snails. Then I bought myself some fish the other day.
I'd been watching the tank when I added the baby snails, because they were breeding like mad.
Then when I added the fish, I watched for about half an hour when I introduced them to the water to see if they were ok.
Then the next morning, I noticed some worm like creature crawling on the plastic log I have at the bottom of the tank. I looked closely and it looked like a mosquito larvae/mayfly larvae.
Then I left it for a bit because I thought either the fish will eat it, or it might just be some creature that wanted to join in or something.
The next day, I saw the creature swimming about. Me and my boyfriend were watching it, and decided to get it out. When we looked again, there were two!
I looked online for larvae in fish tanks, and they looked similar to mosquito/mayfly larvae, but at the same time look nothing like them.
They had 6 legs, I think, 3 fin like tails at the bottom of this long thin body. They were just white, and they were trying to have sex! I don't have a clue what they are, I got rid of them just in case, but I just wanted to post on here to see if anyone would know what they were, in case any more pop up. They didn't attach themselves to the top of the tank like what you see on pictures, they liked to stay at the bottom of the tank, hidden away. The larvae on pictures look too furry to be what was in my tank as well.

 

[fluttermoth]

Damselfly larvae.

If more appear, try and find a pond or a water butt to put them so as they hatch out into beautiful damselflies

 

[tomtomtom1230]

Sounds like maybe a type of flat worm...? No... it had legs... Hhmmm... I'm sure a more experienced member will be able to help you - I'd need to look this one up too! Many critters can find their way into our tanks and most of them are harmless!

Try looking here: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/277805-hitchhikers-in-freshwater-tanks-ponds/

Might have what you need!

 

[fluttermoth]

The three 'tails' is what gives the id away as a damselfly nymph

 

[big_sw2000]

The three 'tails' is what gives the id away as a damselfly nymph

Yep i would say damselfly larva as well. But was thinking dragon fly 1st.

Steve

 

[fluttermoth]

Could have been a dragonfly, but they usually have only two 'tails' and the 'tail' is shorter, so it doesn't get noticed often.

Also, it seems to be quite rare to get dragonfly nymphs in tanks, whereas damselflies turn up quite a lot, I'm not sure why that is.

 

[briannecowley]

thanks for your help guys! just looked it up then, and it does look similar to that. But I don't get how it got into my tank, I don't even think I've ever seen a damselfly. I don't feed the fish live food, just in case it bring parasites into the water, and the tanks been running for about a month, and I only saw it on Saturday morning! No new plants have been introduced! I thought they might have come with the fish, because I got the fish on Friday, and I saw it Saturday morning, but there was nothing in the bags. Argh! Ninja larvae getting into my tank .