Strange Creature In My Tank

[silverrabbit]

When I was doing my usual gravel vac and w/c on my tropical community tank, I came across an EXTREMELY weird and ugly little bug thing. I found it under the moss-covered coconut shell, and it tried to run away, but I squished it with the end of the vac before it made it's escape.

The only way I can describe it is as follows: about 5mm in length, slim bodied, white, a distinct head end and a forked tail at the other, and it had legs

Haven't seen one since, but i'm doing another gravel vac on that tank today, because i'm now paranoid about being infested with nasty creatures. If I see another one i'll try and get a pic.

Anyone know what it was?

 

[JmeSomers]

Did it look like this?

click here

 

[silverrabbit]

UGH, quite possibly

 

[Spishkey]

sounds like a damselfly larvae

did it look like this? http/images.google.be/images?gbv=2&h...vae&spell=1

 

[silverrabbit]

Yucky, Spishkey that is EXACTLY what it looks like the thought is making me feel sick!

Do you think there'll be more than one??? Will it hurt my fishies?

 

[Spishkey]

they will catch and eat any small fish/fry.

you may be lucky and just have the one (they can come in on new plants etc) but when i found one, i found another and another. just kept my eye out and disposed of them when i found them (tasty oscar treats!)

 

[silverrabbit]

The smallest fish are tiger barbs, so not really small. Oh man, i'm dreading doing a gravel vac this afternoon. I bought a load of new plants just a week ago, so maybe that's where they came from.... Icky! Otherwise i'm sure I would've noticed a damselfly in my room.

 

[keenonfish]

Damsel nymphs are not a patch on dragon nymphs so will pose absolutely no threat unless you have fry. Shame as what emerges happens to be one of our most stunning creatures

I know I for one would be happy!

 

[three-fingers]

Yeah, you guys are all lucky for finding these things!

I check the plant tanks at work every week for them and never find any .

 

[keenonfish]

Yeah, you guys are all lucky for finding these things!

I check the plant tanks at work every week for them and never find any .

Do you ever find hydra? I am finding all my lfs's have fish in their planted tanks which must eat them and so far I have found nothing at all

 

[three-fingers]

Sometimes spot them at the lfs, but the glass gets cleaned often so usually there's no sign.

I manage to spot a green hydra in my shrimp tank every now and then, think it's because the cherry population isnt as large anymore (M.lanchesteri are regulating the population ).

 

[silverrabbit]

LOL, well I found another, which got sucked up. I'm surprised it didn't get eaten itself TBH, as it was sharing a cave with one of my parrots, and he's a greedy monkey.

Next time i'll be sure to post them off to you lot cos I don't want them!!

 

[mistyash]

I've always been really interested in ponds, so I know a lot about Damsel fly nymphs. They eat mosquito larvae in the wild, and can take several years to morph into adults. I wouldn't worry about them. they're not going to reproduce in your tank.

 

[sher8853]

I think its a damselfly... i had one too in my guppy tank.... it hatched from plants you bought in the pet stall.... the damselfly eats small fishes by splitting the stomach apart and eat it.... i will send u a pic when i got a chance to see it again...

 

[snowflake311]

I always called them dragonflies here in the USA. When I was little I lived near a swap and I found a big one of these guys. I kept it as a pet outside (mom would not let it in the house). Then one day it was gone. But those guys are cool I agree. They eat mosquito larvae what's not to like about them. It's so cool to watch them catch and eat the mosquito larvae.