Mysterious creature

[Novafishy]

Hi guys,

I have a small planted tank with only shrimps and a Nerite snail. Shrimp species are Yamato shrimp and Red Cherry shrimp. No fish whatsoever.

A bit of background:

Set up the tank, then let it cycle for a month or so. I bought some shrimp from the local fish shop and put them in. A few of them died over the a few months. A couple days ago (about 4 months after the last time I added any livestock to the tank) I discover a really weird creature in the tank! I obviously did not buy it, it just appeared out of nowhere. 

Anyone identify what creature this is? Is it dangerous to my shrimp? How could it possibly get into the tank? Could this guy possibly be the reason some of my shrimp have died?

Any information is much appreciated! Thank you!

[jayc]

Damsel fly nymph.

Read up about it here 

get rid of it immediately. 

Do you have an open to tank? 

A damsel fly could have flown in and laid in the tank. There is always more than one. 

It could also have come stuck to a newly bought plant. 

[Novafishy]

Thank you Jayc! :) And thanks for the great, informative article!

It's predominantly a closed tank, but there's a slight gap at one edge where the lid doesn't fully go all the way. I suppose that's how it got in.

But where the tank is located in my house, is that it's in a room where the windows are always closed and the room door is also closed most of the time, so it puzzles me when or how did a damsel fly entered the room. Could also be, like you said, come in stuck on a newly bought plant.

When I first saw it, I separated it into a small isolating container as I wasn't sure what it was. Now that I think of it, I think it ate some young shrimplets, as I haven't seen them in a while.

I'll just have to go get rid of it.

Thanks again.

[jayc]

 No problems

[phopf]

8 hours ago, Novafishy said:

Now that I think of it, I think it ate some young shrimplets, as I haven't seen them in a while.

I'm sure it did. Depending on which instar (moult) it is at, they will eat tadpoles and small fish. Do you still have all your mature shrimp?

Best of luck in not having any more!