What the hell is this thing?!

[JacksonL]

I found this in the tank containing the Rili culls I got from disciple. I have pulled it out as I assume it is a predator of some kind by the look of it!

the photo isn't great but hoping someone can let me know what it is. It's quite large, about the same length as an adult cherry shrimp.

 

[Disciple]

Looks like a demsel fly nymph, destory it and make sure there is no more.

[JacksonL]

Thanks! After a quick google search, that confirms it is indeed a damsel fly nymph.

I have given the tank a good search for any more but will keep looking for the next few days. 

Nasty looking thing!

[Matuva]

Damselfly or ephemera nymph I think.

Though, opposite the dragon fly nymph, I think these ones are not predators. I have found many of them in my Sunkist tank, and it seems none of my shrimps have disappeared.

That being said, I find them ugly and net them as soon as I can.

Edited August 6, 2015 by Matuva

[Shrimpy Daddy]

Demsel fly or ephemere nymph I think.

Though, opposite the dragon fly nymph, I think these ones are not predators. I have found many of them in my Sunkist tank, and it seems none of my shrimps have disappeared.

That being said, I find them ugly and net them as soon as I can.

The one posted by JacksonL is damselfly nymph. It can be easily identify by looking at the shape of the head, which looks like damselfly and it should have two large teeth.  Similar head with short and fat tail will be dragonfly nymph.

The one you have is much smaller in size and it is more white colour and have more protruding gills (hairy) at the tail. I have the one you have before, and yes it is harmless. Up till now no one know what. Based on my research (I was in panic mode and spent weeks to compare thousands of pictures), it seems to be Mayfly nymph.

[Foxpuppet]

I've had a damselfly nymph in a nano shrimp tank years ago. Reminded me of those killer things in the matrix.

Just today I was looking wistfully into my panda's section and I found this guy chilling out with them.

Dragonfly nymph?

Was only by chance that I spotted it.

[jayc]

did you burn it? 

[Matuva]

Yup, this one I think is a dragonfly nymph

[Foxpuppet]

1 hour ago, jayc said:

did you burn it? 

i was bleaching plants last night in a 10:1 solution and chucked it in there.... it happily swam about, so i crushed it a washed it down the drain!

 

[Foxpuppet]

Just found another one in the same section of the tank!

[Matuva]

Did you introduce a new plant in your tank recently?

[Foxpuppet]

Only last night added some trident Java fern, but I bleached and scoured them for snails and planaria prior to putting into tank. I'd say these have been laid in the tank by the dragonfly. It's in the garage so it could have flown in easy enough.

[Foxpuppet]

Dang if these things don't just keep coming.

Since the initial one I've collected 4 more and saw another skin of one. All in the same section of the tank.

[Disciple]

Might explain your missing shrimp.

15 minutes ago, Foxpuppet said:

Dang if these things don't just keep coming.

Since the initial one I've collected 4 more and saw another skin of one. All in the same section of the tank.

 

[Foxpuppet]

10 minutes ago, Disciple said:

Might explain your missing shrimp.

 

i hope not. the bugs are quite clear though, so id imagine anything they ate would be seen... you never know though i suppose. i pulled all the plants out this afternoon and 'shook' them in the water to disturb any more hiding critters. nothing else showed itself.

[Hishyfishy]

How alarming and exciting! That little dragonfly nymph might be a little small for the adult shrimp, but I'd imagine they would easily be able to catch and eat baby shrimp. 

[Foxpuppet]

How alarming and exciting! That little dragonfly nymph might be a little small for the adult shrimp, but I'd imagine they would easily be able to catch and eat baby shrimp. 

No babies are missing, only sub adults.

[Pedro]

@Foxpuppet Yep that is a dragonfly nymph, they can catch preys that are bigger than them, they project their mask and grab them and then start eating them. There are species that burrow themselves on the substrate waiting for the pray to come by but I don't think that's that species, think it's the Gomphidae family.

This is a picture from google: 

 

[Foxpuppet]

Found number 10 today.... Been researching, apparently the dragon fly simply land and drop eggs into water. Gonna be covering the gaps into the tank with mesh.

Not sure how long ago it may have been but they can live & continue growing up to a year underwater before changing to wings.

Devil spawn

https://vimeo.com/160572929

[Paul Minett]

mostly they come in on plants most species lay their eggs into a slightly submerged plant where they hatch and then enter the system.

 

[Foxpuppet]

Just caught another one, I've now raked the substrate to see if anymore appeared. Frustrating to say the least

[Paul Minett]

they are a nightmare, had them a couple of times kept picking them out for weeks drives you nuts and they blend in so well you only see them when they move

 

[NoGi]

Have you got many shrimp in the tank? You could always remove the shrimp eradicate and then put them back in.

[Foxpuppet]

Have you got many shrimp in the tank? You could always remove the shrimp eradicate and then put them back in.

There's only 8 in that division but more like 100 in the whole tank (divided into 5 with Perspex)

How would you eradicate them?

[Matuva]

I'm afraid you will have to manually get rid of them. I don't know any chemicals or predators which can target them without destroying the shrimps too.
Did you recently introduce a new plant or driftwood in your tank?

They will hide in the plants/mosses or driftwood, not in substrate