Bug - X require help to identify.

**Zenith82** · 10th Oct 2011, 23:35

I notice a few bug X is creeping crawling in my tank. Caught a couple of them to take pictures to get help identifying them. Can anyone recognize this critter? Want to find out is it harmful to my shrimps.

It's like a mini-silverfish or roach.

Below is a link for microscopic view of the bug that I've taken.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpQaBC9yJnc

**marimo** · 10th Oct 2011, 23:45

OMFG thats the most scary video to watch near midnight

knockout:
my hair now standing
the zoom in looks like something from district 9

**reiner09** · 11th Oct 2011, 00:01

wa bro..got alien inside your tank ar..you got microscope,try looking at the mouth area..if got chewing teeth (aka razor teeths/beaks) more or less i think it will harm shrimps..

**lucasjiang** · 11th Oct 2011, 00:10

It should be gammarus shrimp, a type of amphipod. Many people use it to feed their fish.

**lucasjiang** · 11th Oct 2011, 00:12

And yes, i may be harmful to shrimplets and fish fry.

**Zenith82** · 11th Oct 2011, 00:34

Waoo... gammarus? Gosh.. kinda scary...

**alvinchan80** · 11th Oct 2011, 00:52

This looks so familiar like what I have seen in 1 LFS.. Or maybe when you bought shrimps from there and it got hijacked to your tank? I believe they are harmful to your shrimplets but I seen them 'live in harmony' with the adults in the LFS.. But to be safe, remove them and flush it away..

**Zenith82** · 11th Oct 2011, 01:30

Will try to remove them, I bought a GusH Catch Pen from GC, hopefully it will work. Read about gammarus, wrote that they feed on moss, but if nothing to eat will turn to carnivorous.
Going to try to contain this critter, everytime I caught one, I feed it to my fishes. They love it.

**marimo** · 11th Oct 2011, 11:15

wow must be from mars
let us know how the pen works
i saw it and i dont understand how it traps nasty stuff

**richard85** · 11th Oct 2011, 11:20

could it be a larvae of dragonfly? looks similar though... hope there's only 1 in your tank

**jamesneo** · 11th Oct 2011, 12:12

Yes, saw one last time in my tank. They are always hiding among the plants.
Good time to catch them is early morning when you turn on the tank light and they will try to escape by swimming very fast with their "legs" to hide among the plants.
They are harmful and i ever saw them with a small tetra in their mouth. Very scary...