UNWELCOME NEW ARRIVAL

[nagus]

Can anybody help me identify a new arrival in my tank? Sorry I can’t supply a picture, I would best describe it as a half insect/half fish. It’s about 1 inch long with a large brown head and body with big eyes. It also has six legs, a long green tail and a V shaped fin at the end. It also seems quite happy both in and out of the water.

Does anybody have any clues to what it might be? Should I take it out? And will there be more?

I don’t know where its come from, could it have hatched off some live plants which I put in about 1 month ago.

Any clues . . . anyone?

 

[Inchworm]

Hi nagus

Once in a while a parasite will come in on plants. Whatever it is, if you didn't put it in, it's probably best if you get rid of it.

Does it look anything like these?

http/dnr.state.il.us/orep/ecowatch/RIVER...bugs/DAMSEL.htm

http/trog.cs.umb.edu/streams/streamsKey/...y/aeshnidae.htm

 

[nagus]

Just had another look, and it seems to have crawled out of the water and onto the air flow control on top of the filter where its shed its skin like a snake and now its got wings?

 

[Inchworm]

Hi nagus

Whatever it is, you might want to get it away from your tank before it decides to reproduce. You would hate to have a houseful of them, I'm sure.

You could keep it in a jar or something until you identify it.

 

[nagus]

Too late, i just caught it in a net and released it into the wild, it flew away quite happy

 

[Gill]

It was Most Likely a DragonFly, From your Description.

 

[JamesTasker]

Yep, I agree that it was a dragonfly larvae. I got a couple in on some live plants. If you see any more its probably best to get rid of them - I don't know if they can damage fish but I saw one lunge at a fish in my tank tho it got away .

 

[nagus]

Thanks for the replys, it does seem like it was either a damsel fly or dragonfly. Sorry if it seemed a bit trivial, but i didn't know what it was, as i am fairly new to all this.

 

[DrOizo]

A caddis fly maybe?? Just speculation

 

[Opcn]

I'm sure that it was a member of the dragon fly family. only harmful to small fish and other small under water critters. And unless it is identified and native you should never release anythinginto the wild IMO.