Is this a damselfly larvae?

[Monkfish]

Looked in my tank today and saw about 6 of these in there all hanging out on the heater. They are only about 2-3mm long and impossible to catch (and just as hard to photograph!)

 

[si walker]

if you search damselfly larvae in the search box i think you will find your answer.

Sorry cant work out how to share the page.

Si

 

[Monkfish]

ah yes. it is haha, not sure why search didn't;t work before. will have to try and syphon them out!

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

They are only about 2-3mm long and impossible to catch (and just as hard to photograph!)

I'm pretty sure they are <"Swimming Mayfly"> nymphs and specifically the "Pond Olive" (Cloeon dipterum). Damselfly larvae swim with a much slower, wiggly side to side action, where as these go at 90 mile an hour.

cheers Darrel

 

[Monkfish]

oh yeah they are so bloody fast and run too. I'll see how it goes with them as from that post you sent it says they don;t bother fish or shrimp

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

you sent it says they don;t bother fish or shrimp

They are <"detrivores">. Fish really like eating them, but they need to be pretty speedy fish, or ambush hunters.

cheers Darrel

 

[Monkfish]

that would make sense it being those as I have seen 3 or 4 of the adults in the house, and even fed one to my Betta, so that one might have released eggs as I submerged it!

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

as I have seen 3 or 4 of the adults in the house, and even fed one to my Betta

They are pretty common <"Cloeon dipterum | NBN Atlas">, and the adults <"are attracted to light">, so finding them in fish tanks (particularly open tops ones) is less unusual than you might imagine .

I've found the larvae before in <"water butts"> etc. and I'm pretty sure that is how they've ended up in my tanks.

cheers Darrel