Strange creature in my planted tank

[ed]

About three weeks ago, I found a strange creature in my planted tank. It is about 1.5cm in length. It has a pair of big eyes, 6 legs in front, and three pointy tails. It usually hides in the plants and moves very slowly. I can only find it once in a while, but the last time I checked, it is about 2cm long. Does anyone know what it is?

I tried to snap some pictures of it, but it is hard to get a good focus with my automatic camera.



The last time I introduced new plants into my tank was about 4 months ago. I have guppies, neon tetras and 6 yamota shrimps in my tank. There are some guppy babies in the tank, so I wonder whether I should take it out, just in case it grows bigger and eat them.

[PeterGwee]

Remove the dragonfly nymph immediately. It will go after small critters for food.

Regards
Peter Gwee

[chua]

Hi,

But how does that creature get into the tank?
Is it in the form of egg on the leaves of the introduced plants?

Thks.

[victri]

Think that's a damselfly nymph. Like dragonfly nymphs, they're very agressive hunters that eat small fish/shrimp. Please remove it or your guppy fries will start disappearing.

Most probably from a visiting adult that flew into your house, or eggs that were trapped in plants you bought.

http://www.lakeeureka.eureka.lib.il....dragonfly.html
http://www.ento.csiro.au/education/insects/odonata.html

[ed]

You guys are right! It is the same as what is shown in the picture of a damselfly nymph, except being smaller. I better remove it quickly when I see it again.

As for how it gets into the tank, I have absolutely no idea. I live in a HDB flat, and never have I seen any dragonfly or damselfly entering my house. And why it hasn't been eaten by the fishes is another mistery.

I knew someone here would be able to recognize it.
Thanks a lot, guys!

[victri]

The pointy tails and slim body is what sets it apart from a dragonfly nymph. Both are equally dangerous for small fish/shrimp. Hunt it down and get it out of the tank. I've never had one in my tank, but have seen it before, so I remembered.

[renrub]

got the same thing the other time... at first i still thought it was a shrimp