What The Hell Is This ?

[pippoodle]

I found this little thing in my tank

hes got 6 legs and swimms like a shrimp he's got like froggy bulgy eyes on the sides and is about 7 mm long
He's sat in the baby net at the moment cos i dont want to put him back in the tank until i know hes ok

Thanks Sarah xx

 

[Underwurlde]

Can't really see but I'd hazard a guess at damselfly larvae or dragonfly larvae. Check google images & compare?

Andy

 

[peter22UK]

http/www.narbeck.org/Bugs/Bug%20Gallery/...onfly_larva.jpg

dragonfly

 

[pippoodle]

[URL="http/www.narbeck.org/Bugs/Bug%20Gallery/...onfly_larva.jpg"]http/www.narbeck.org/Bugs/Bug%20Gallery/...onfly_larva.jpg[/URL]

dragonfly

Thanks hun but no not one of them he's black in the front , white in the middle and black at the back end and doesn't have the same sort of head as the dragonfly larvae

 

[VictorMeldrew]

if its dragonfly, i would not put it back in.

 

[pippoodle]

Can't really see but I'd hazard a guess at damselfly larvae or dragonfly larvae. Check google images & compare?

Andy

just checked pics and not a damsel fly larvae either

thanks hun

 

[Robot_Rooster]

it looks disgusting what ever it is. maybe it just crawled into your tank (not saying your house is dirty or anything)

 

[pippoodle]

it looks disgusting what ever it is. maybe it just crawled into your tank (not saying your house is dirty or anything)

lmao
i think it came with some plants i've seen it around the tank for a couple of weeks but thought it was 2 pieces of the black gravel stuck together with something until i actually seen it swimming and walking tonight

 

[three-fingers]

It's certainly a dragonfly nymph, there are so many types I cant identify past that unfortunately. Lots of the nymphs look pretty different, but I'm sure that's what you have got.

Only a threat to fish about the same size, even if your fish are big enough to be safe you should find it a pond or raise it to a dragonfly in a small tank/jar with plants and feed it bloodworm, other swimming invertebrates or fry.

Lucky you, would be pretty cool to find one.

 

[keenonfish]

I am pretty sure this is NOT a dragonfly nymph, actually not a nymph at all but a larvae of some sort perhaps a water beetle...? It is difficult to tell reason I don't think it is dragonfly is that there are no wing buds visible which is kind of a big clue... Also I don't recognize the markings as anything I have seen before.

I hope you are letting him swim in the tank I would say at this size it would only be a threat to fry but obviously being a larvae of some sort it will probably be carnivorous and will want plenty to eat... Mozzie & midge larvae would be cool. If a beetle larvae it will want to escape to dry land when ready to pupate so I am not sure what to suggest for the long term really!

 

[Butch]

I am pretty sure this is NOT a dragonfly nymph, actually not a nymph at all but a larvae of some sort perhaps a water beetle...? It is difficult to tell reason I don't think it is dragonfly is that there are no wing buds visible which is kind of a big clue... Also I don't recognize the markings as anything I have seen before.

I hope you are letting him swim in the tank I would say at this size it would only be a threat to fry but obviously being a larvae of some sort it will probably be carnivorous and will want plenty to eat... Mozzie & midge larvae would be cool. If a beetle larvae it will want to escape to dry land when ready to pupate so I am not sure what to suggest for the long term really!

Your wrong, this is dragonfly nymph, just different species and really young. And don't put the nymph back into the tank, as its serious threat to your fish (livebearers right?). And adult fish are fair game for dragonfly nymph.....ps please don't called me hun.

 

[keenonfish]

I am pretty sure this is NOT a dragonfly nymph, actually not a nymph at all but a larvae of some sort perhaps a water beetle...? It is difficult to tell reason I don't think it is dragonfly is that there are no wing buds visible which is kind of a big clue... Also I don't recognize the markings as anything I have seen before.

I hope you are letting him swim in the tank I would say at this size it would only be a threat to fry but obviously being a larvae of some sort it will probably be carnivorous and will want plenty to eat... Mozzie & midge larvae would be cool. If a beetle larvae it will want to escape to dry land when ready to pupate so I am not sure what to suggest for the long term really!

Your wrong, this is dragonfly nymph, just different species and really young. And don't put the nymph back into the tank, as its serious threat to your fish (livebearers right?). And adult fish are fair game for dragonfly nymph.....ps please don't called me hun.

Ah I guess it could be a really young if nymph but I would have thought you would see something in the way of wing development, as dragonflies do not go through complete metamorphosis. I would like to see a better image tho... Somehow I don't think the nymph will be a threat at this time certainly not at 7mm. I am sure it would be ok to leave until OP decides what it is and what to do?

It would be interesting to know how it got in the tank it must be a wild caught plant or something else taken with an egg on it that raises the question is it a UK critter?

Now what the heck does "ps please don't called me hun." mean

 

[pippoodle]

I am pretty sure this is NOT a dragonfly nymph, actually not a nymph at all but a larvae of some sort perhaps a water beetle...? It is difficult to tell reason I don't think it is dragonfly is that there are no wing buds visible which is kind of a big clue... Also I don't recognize the markings as anything I have seen before.

I hope you are letting him swim in the tank I would say at this size it would only be a threat to fry but obviously being a larvae of some sort it will probably be carnivorous and will want plenty to eat... Mozzie & midge larvae would be cool. If a beetle larvae it will want to escape to dry land when ready to pupate so I am not sure what to suggest for the long term really!

Your wrong, this is dragonfly nymph, just different species and really young. And don't put the nymph back into the tank, as its serious threat to your fish (livebearers right?). And adult fish are fair game for dragonfly nymph.....ps please don't called me hun.

well i'm sorry but i call everyone hun ,it is not meant to be derogatory , degrading or insulting it's a term of friendship and lots of devonian people use it .

 

[paul123]

lol.. thats weird as

 

[pippoodle]

Ah I guess it could be a really young if nymph but I would have thought you would see something in the way of wing development, as dragonflies do not go through complete metamorphosis. I would like to see a better image tho... Somehow I don't think the nymph will be a threat at this time certainly not at 7mm. I am sure it would be ok to leave until OP decides what it is and what to do?

It would be interesting to know how it got in the tank it must be a wild caught plant or something else taken with an egg on it that raises the question is it a UK critter?

Now what the heck does "ps please don't called me hun." mean

the please dont call me hun was aimed at me hun , i'm going to let it go into the tiny water garden pot thing in the garden hopefully it will survive . i'm going to put a net over the top so that if it does turn out to be a dragonfly and it isn't from the UK it wont escape and get into our enviroment .

Thanks for all the help

Sarah xxx