Photo: Help me Identify this mystery Insect Larvae!

[benh]

Hey everyone!

Whilst cleaning out my Axie Colin's tank a couple of days ago, I spotted this little fella attached to a bit of dead plant at the bottom of the tank. I think there are 3 in there from snooping around - the photo is of the biggest one, it's just over 1cm in length & white.

Looking online, they seem similar to a Dragonfly or Damselfly larva - but, as this tank is in my bedroom, and I've not seen any of these flies around, I'm rather puzzled?!
If anybody has any clue as to what they are, and if I should remove them or not (with the view I'm going to introduce some red cherry shrimp to the tank soon) then that would be a great help


Help me solve this puzzle! Hehe. Thanks!

[Rodrigo]

It´s a damselfly larva for sure.
It poses no danger to an adult axolotl, but it will predate on the cherry shrimp.
I would take them out inmediately, there´s no point for them to be in the tank.

Have you used water, plants, or decoration from a pond? I find it rather difficult that they were laid there by an adult, they must have arrived from something you put in.

[benh]

Thanks for the prompt reply!

Cool - well, at least I know what they are now! The mystery is how they got there...
The last plants I put in my tank were bought from an aquarium shop several months ago, so I doubt they came from there? Nothing from a pond has been near my tank as far as I know, and like you, I can't see how a damselfly has got in my room and laid its eggs without me noticing?? I guess it's possible, but I've not even seen any this year & I live on a main road.

The only thing I can think of is that I feed my Axie worms from the garden, and that the eggs got in there that way somehow? Hmmm.

Well, I'll try and collect them up & release them into a pond near where I live I guess
Thanks.

[Rodrigo]

Although i ignore the species, damselflies usually lay their eggs inside plants, so perhaps they came with the plants (who knows where they were before the petshop).
They are brilliant creatures, with a fascinating hunting equipment.

[Dan]

Quick! Kill It!...freaky thing.

[Rodrigo]

NooooOOOOOooooOOoooo....!
Why would he kill them? They have every right to exist, plus they rid you off mosquitoes, so you should be thanking damselflies :P

[deliriah]

Go with your idea of releasing them to a pond. They are voracious predators and your shrimp will get eaten. But please don't kill them, they are beneficial in nature.

[benh]

Don't worry! I wouldn't kill them.
May keep them a little longer just to observe around the tank, they're interesting creatures - but I know a local pond which I can release them into, so they'll be fine

[A. Macxicanum]

Originally Posted by daniellog

Quick! Kill It!...freaky thing.

I gotta go with Dan on this one. It looks like a dangerous alien from another planet (albeit a pretty small planet) and regardless of your expertise I will continue to view it as such. I kill everything that even remotely scares me regardless of what or whom it may be. Right now I'm keeping a close eye on my neighbor. He's kind of scary and he smells funny.

[Shannon]

Hmmm...actually damselflies are quite beautiful as they are very similar to dragonflies, my favorite insect. They do do a wonderful job of ridding the world of the less desirables so please save the life or lives of however many you end up finding.

Of course, in Florida, since the mosquitoes there are the size of small dogs! I have to wonder about the damselflies! They have to sound like helicopters buzzing around!

Originally Posted by Mac Myers

I kill everything that even remotely scares me regardless of what or whom it may be. Right now I'm keeping a close eye on my neighbor. He's kind of scary and he smells funny.

What's scarier? Finding damselfly larvae in your tank or having Mac for a neighbor?!? Just kidding, Mac...

Still, I'd love to have a conversation with that neighbor...

[Tina]

these little creatures are very interesting and I would observe them, too.

Originally Posted by Mac Myers

Right now I'm keeping a close eye on my neighbor. He's kind of scary and he smells funny.

maybe he´s an alien? But, please don´t kill him - he could be harmless.

[Eric]

Originally Posted by callina

But, please don´t kill him - he could be harmless.

That means you also agree that his neighbor could be harmful!

[melfly]

I reckon Macs neighbour may also be on a forum somewhere mentioning getting rid of his neighbour......lol

Mel

[A. Macxicanum]

Nah... he's like 90. I'm pretty sure I can take him.

[deliriah]

Mac, he probably doesn't have much longer to go, I would let him live out the rest of his "scary, funny smelling" life.
As for the damselfly larvae, I had one for a while in a pond tank I kept. They are quite interesting and I kinda got attached to it. But I ended up releasing it in a nearby pond, because I wasn't sure it would fare well as an adult in my apartment!

[Tina]

Originally Posted by Mac Myers

Nah... he's like 90. I'm pretty sure I can take him.

oh, .... have you never heard of a shapeshifter? Be careful, Mac......maybe he is an extraterrestrial transformer.

@deliriah: I can understand you - I like damselflies, too and I´m quite happy having a pond in my garden where they can live and proliferate.

[deliriah]

Callina, they really are beautiful in both the larval and especially adult forms.

[benh]

Update: I did end up releasing 2 of them into a local pond a couple of weeks after this post - I think one must have been gobbled up by my Axie unfortunately.

P.S. If your mystery tank invader looks completely different to mine, take a look at this link which should help you identify it:
Caudata Culture Articles - Aquarium Invaders: Algae, Snails, Worms and Other Critters

[vampybabe]

OOOOH...... I had the same thing a little while ago,Found it darting along the sand I took it out to monitor in a glass of tank water, but it died but now I have loads of tiny little worm like things along the edges of the water. I keep turkey bastering them out and I think my axies are munching on them too but they wont go, every day more of them! Only just gotthe tank cycled so aint starting over again