What Are These Creatures...?

[ikongoni]

I am cleaning my substrate right now, and I am absolutely shocked by something that I have just disturbed.....

A group of hammer-headed shrimp like things have just come come swimming out.
They are about 1cm long and almost transparent so I cant take a photo, but what the hell are they...??
I have NEVER seen anything like them....

 

[nosoup4you]

Damselfly larvae?

 

[rocknurworld2006]

I am cleaning my substrate right now, and I am absolutely shocked by something that I have just disturbed.....

A group of hammer-headed shrimp like things have just come come swimming out.
They are about 1cm long and almost transparent so I cant take a photo, but what the hell are they...??
I have NEVER seen anything like them....

get them out of there if u can

 

[ikongoni]

@nosoup4you - You could be right. I just googled them, and that is very much what they look like.

@rocknurworld2006 - I got one or two of them during a water change, but how many others there might be, I have no idea, and my chances of catching them are remote.

Do you think they could be harmful, or will they just be munched as a natural prey species....

 

[nosoup4you]

Damselfly larvae will prey on small fish.

 

[ikongoni]

How small...??

The smallest fish I have are Black Neons and jumbo Cardinals..

Apart from those, its various Pleco and Angel fish in my tank.

 

[nosoup4you]

Your fish will probably be fine but you should remove any that you find to be safe. I've seen video of them devouring fairly god sized tadpoles but your fish are likely much quicker.

 

[Robot_Rooster]

this is what they will do

**View at risk**

vid

 

[ikongoni]

Thats actually a pretty cool vid...

As the smallest fish that I have are Cory Panda, I don't think these critters are going to prey on them. I hope so anyway.

Managed to hoover up a couple of dead ones last night, but I am hoping that if they do start swimming about, my Angels and Discus will see them as a snack....