Tropical Fish Forum

Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => General Fishkeeping advice => Topic started by: Dart15 on July 17, 2016, 10:27:25 AM

Title: Larvae in my tank?
Post by: Dart15 on July 17, 2016, 10:27:25 AM

Hi,
A bit of advice please, i have just hoovered the bottom of the tank and discovered lavae type thing in the bucket. It's about 1cm long, thin body,large head and a 3 prong tail.
Any ideas as to what it is, and , is it detrimental to the tank and , how did it get there.

Title: Re: Larvae in my tank?
Post by: fcmf on July 17, 2016, 10:39:30 AM

Welcome to the forum. :wave:

What fish and invertebrates (eg snails, shrimp) do you have in your tank? This might help explain / give pointers as to what's in your bucket. [Also, do you have live plants?]

Can you take a photo of it and post the photo here? That will also help us enormously. :)

Title: Re: Larvae in my tank?
Post by: Sue on July 17, 2016, 12:21:19 PM

Hi Dart  :wave:

Can I suggest you google images of damselfly nymphs and see if you recognise yours. If it is one of them, remove it. They can live for years in a tank, and will eat small fish, fry and shrimps. They get into the tank on plants and by a female laying eggs (if they have access to your tank).

Title: Re: Larvae in my tank?
Post by: Dart15 on July 17, 2016, 01:01:27 PM

Thanks for that..it's a damselfly lavae and been removed.
Fish keeping is certainly an educating pastime!

Title: Re: Larvae in my tank?
Post by: Sue on July 17, 2016, 02:02:29 PM

I would also have a good check in the tank to see if there any more of them.

Title: Re: Larvae in my tank?
Post by: Fiona on July 17, 2016, 04:35:21 PM

Also if you feed your fish live food that shops sell in sealed bags they can sneak in that way too. One reason I always empty mine into a small holding tank before I scoop some out to feed to my fish.

I've seen damsel fly larvae attack sticklebacks in my pond.