# Get Rid of a Dragonfly Nymph



## ObiTonyKenobi (26 Aug 2020)

So while doing my water changes every two days to help control the thread algae in my new tank, twice I sucked out what looked like a dead flattened beetle or rollie pollie  from my planted tank. Then on Sunday doing my last every 2-day water change and going on to a 3-day water change rate for the week; while filling back up my aquarium while testing to see how fast the Hydor Inline heater could heat the water from 23 degrees to 25,  I saw this brown-blackish "rollie pollie" shoot across the bottom of the substrate in the back. I managed to take a picture of its rear end and told myself what a weird isopod. I kept looking for info on it and all I could find was info on how great they are for aquariums till I came across something on Dragonfly Nymphs and how they eat fish and shrimp in tanks. I thought I was reading  horror novel when I realised that rollie Pollie looked weird because it had 6 legs. 

One website said to do a dramatic temp water change and it would stun them into coffusion and they would be easy to catch (ironically that is what I was doing). I want to do that again but I have Rasboras and Otocinclus in the tank right now and I don't want to be cruel to them, especially the Otos since I heard they are sensitive to big changes. Another said to raise the water temp to about 27.7 degrees and they would molt faster and be easier to catch.... so I raised my temperature in my tank from 25 degrees to 26.7 with concern for the Otos. Well the Thread Algae seemed to hate it because the next day it was 75% gone! Kept looking for that nymph and no sign of it. 

Well this morning I couldn't find the 8th Oto and I feared that alien had striked and eaten it's first victim. Just incase I started moving the plants around and disturbing it and out popped out the nymph about 2.5 cm and looking light greenish, and of course another exoskeleton. Screaming in fear I told my wife to run and get the syphon to suck that sucker out, but she was moving to slow for me and I ran out to get it and when I came back it was gone. 

Does anyone have any ideas on how to catch this alien? I literally check the toilet to make sure it isn't there waiting to bite me when I go, have Hugh Grant moments like the scene in 9 Months when he has a nightmare that he is making love to a Praying Mantis. 

I decided to wait putting in my Panda Corys for the fear they would be victims and I'm really worried about my Otocinclus since they are so mellow. Any ideas on how to get this creature out would be really helpful


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## zozo (27 Aug 2020)

Patiently waiting is the only way i guess and than strike with a net when you get the upportunety.
That's what i did and i was lucky?
https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/mission-bathtub-2019.56746/page-3#post-569673

The Lucky questionmark is about mixed feelings, it snatched a few small fish before i noticed it was in there and it snatched a few more before i got the uportunety to catch it and release it somewhere else.
But  in the end i got it...


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## PARAGUAY (27 Aug 2020)

Is it feasible just to temporary remove the fish ? Then have a search on a water change.


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## Steve Buce (28 Aug 2020)

Have a llok at "Rachel O'leary" youtube channel, in her summer tubs she added a treatment that killed df nymphs


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## ObiTonyKenobi (28 Aug 2020)

Have been looking for that nymph for a week and I just happened to look at the back of the tank and there it was... clinging to the glass and skimmer as if it was ready to strike. I panic and called my wife so I could get the net and told her to keep an eye on it, I was too freaked out to do it with the tweezers. Coming back down the stairs my wife yelled "Got it"!

Was definitely a Dragonfly Nymph, must have just molten because it was a lighter green color. Hopefully it was the only one in there. Rachel O'leary uses Microbe-Lift Lice and Anchor Worm Treatment, but that is for ponds so I wonder if it's safe for an aquarium in a smaller dosage


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## Melll (29 Aug 2020)

ObiTonyKenobi said:


> my wife yelled "Got it"



She`s not squeamish then 😃


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