ID this worm ?

**limz_777** · 25th Aug 2014, 15:42

interesting character , seem to be wrap in MC/ riccia ( monte carlo) , has holes on both end so he can switch which side he wants to come out from .

**Urban Aquaria** · 25th Aug 2014, 18:17

Maybe could be a small freshwater bristle worm, perhaps it somehow nest into a clump of the riccia while feeding on the plant matter.

**limz_777** · 26th Aug 2014, 01:14

i had freshwater bristle worm in mine other tank before , quite big and visible ,always hide under the substrate , this one just takes the cake ,apparently i caught over twenty of them

, seem like they have a good chow down on the MC and happily cover themselves with the leaves too

, size wise its really small , lucky they wrap themselves if not quite difficult to spot them . tomorrow i will do a follow up , still have some inside

**Trichopsis** · 26th Aug 2014, 09:16

This one should be a caterpillar. There are several species of moths with caterpillars that feed on aquatic plants.

**limz_777** · 26th Aug 2014, 16:09

Originally Posted by Pseudogobiopsis

This one should be a caterpillar. There are several species of moths with caterpillars that feed on aquatic plants.

i suspect its aquatic moths larvae too , you know the life cycle of it ?

**Trichopsis** · 27th Aug 2014, 00:28

Should be the same as any other moth - the caterpillar will eventually develop into a pupa, and then emerge as a moth, which will swim to the surface, wait for its wings to dry, and then fly off.

I managed to find an Australian website that provides more info about moths with aquatic caterpillars:
http://www.mdfrc.org.au/bugguide/dis...r=12&couplet=0

**limz_777** · 1st Sep 2014, 22:05

OK thanks for link, the moth sure lay many eggs

**Urban Aquaria** · 1st Sep 2014, 22:54

Just curious, how did so many of those caterpillars end up in the tank in the first place?

Did you remember adding in any new plants recently? Or perhaps the tank is near an open window and maybe a moth fly in to lay eggs? It'll be interesting to find out.

**limz_777** · 2nd Sep 2014, 17:16

Originally Posted by Urban Aquaria

Just curious, how did so many of those caterpillars end up in the tank in the first place?

Did you remember adding in any new plants recently? Or perhaps the tank is near an open window and maybe a moth fly in to lay eggs? It'll be interesting to find out.

No new plants added, just remember a small moth did died in the tank before the outbreak, it slipped my mind thinking it was just a normal insect that died

**Urban Aquaria** · 2nd Sep 2014, 20:23

Originally Posted by limz_777

No new plants added, just remember a small moth did died in the tank before the outbreak, it slipped my mind thinking it was just a normal insect that died

That probably explains it... i sometimes see small dead insects floating in my outdoor tanks too, will inspect them for little critters.

**Xanavi** · 3rd Sep 2014, 02:00

I have a bad experience with them... if you find 1... there will be more lurking inside the tank.. if left untouched, they will deforest your tank... please get rid of them immediately.

**limz_777** · 4th Sep 2014, 16:19

Originally Posted by Xanavi

I have a bad experience with them... if you find 1... there will be more lurking inside the tank.. if left untouched, they will deforest your tank... please get rid of them immediately.

indeed , till today i caught almost 30 plus of them , the newborns are so small , quite hard to spot them , have to wait till they form their cocoon