Caterpillars In My Tank

[limerickbandit]

As it says on the tin, I have found caterpillars in my tank well I say caterpillars because that’s what they look like but have any of ye seen anything like this before? I was looking at my HC and algae this morning when I saw a small piece of plant stem with HC leaves all over it and something moving inside it I took it out and started taking the leaves off it when this small caterpillar looking thing crawled out during the day I found another 2 I wish I had a macro lens to get a pic

Any ideas?

LB

 

[smegforbrains]

Pics would help a great deal. Could be some kind of larvae

 

[cor2008]

Could be planaria - small white worms. If they are planaria they are harmless, my tetra ate them all in a few days

 

[limerickbandit]

Would planaria have legs and make a home inside a plant stem while eating my HC?

 

[Corleone]

Planaria don't have legs. As far as I know, they aren't destructive, either - they'll feed mostly on waste food.

My first guess would be some kind of insect larvae, but there are freshwater bristleworms (they're in the class Oligochaeta, rather than Polychaeta like their marine cousins). I've seen them for sale on ebay a few times, but as for whether they'd eat plants, I don't know.

 

[keenonfish]

Oh interesting.. How long are the legs? There is an aquatic caterpiller in the UK but there are also things like caddis fly larvae but also the larval stages if many insect could look caterpillar like with legs so a piccy is a must

 

[nosoup4you]

There are actually quite a few species of moths that have aquatic larvae. Pics please?

 

[limerickbandit]

I found 3 today so im sure there is more ill do my best to get pic's soon

 

[limerickbandit]

It took me 5 days to find another 1 but they make their home in leaves and its hard to see them
I dont have a macro lense so these are croped any idea what it is?
im working on bringing down the size of the images.

The leaf in the background, was cut in 2 minutes

LB

 

[ccskitten]

Sorry can't help but just got to say MINGING

Sorry again but I don't do crawly things

 

[limerickbandit]

Not your cup of tea

 

[nosoup4you]

It would be impossible to ID exactly without knowing exactly where your plants came from but it is definitely some type of moth larvae.

 

[limerickbandit]

Cool looks like food for my clown loaches then