Help , 2 weird bug spotted .

**xiaofeng90** · 20th May 2012, 22:43

I spotted 2 bug but manage to caught one and the other one escape while i trying to catch , they seem to dig into the soil when i catching them may i know is this bug harmless and i not sure is there more than 2 .

**seudzar** · 21st May 2012, 00:11

Looks like damsefly nymph or dragonfly nymph

**chlorophyll** · 21st May 2012, 01:34

looks like a dragonfly nymph. I had one. It likes to hide under gravel and ambush my small cherry shrimps and small cardinals. Quite difficult to catch especially if you have lots of plants and dw. One day I saw it just beneath the sand so I qiuckly grabbed a pincer and pinched around until I got it. It was quite ugly and yucky but I felt awesome

.

**Trichopsis** · 21st May 2012, 02:19

Definitely a dragonfly nymph. It will prey on your shrimps and even on small fishes, so it's best to remove it as soon as possible. Having said that, it's possible to rear it separately in its own container, feeding it tubifex or other live food until it matures and turns into an adult dragonfly.

**mincedmeat** · 21st May 2012, 08:40

It would be quite interesting. I caught a damselfly nymph the other day in my tank and had half a mind to rear it till it turn into a full grown damselfly. Decided to kill it in the end.

**xiaofeng90** · 21st May 2012, 08:41

Thanks guys for the help , but in the first place how to they get in the water does it mean there will be more than 2 ? Sigh my poor shrimp and guppy just give birth ... Any tip to catch them or kill them ?

**Trichopsis** · 21st May 2012, 08:59

Either your tank is uncovered and the adult female dragonfly thought it looked like a nice place for her babies to grow up and laid her eggs, or the dragonfly nymphs hitched a ride on plants or other tank decor.

Based on what other people have described, the best way to remove them is to patiently watch your tank with tweezers or a small container. Dragonfly nymphs crawl around most of the time, but they can swim very quickly if they're threatened.

**mincedmeat** · 21st May 2012, 09:56

If your tank isn't heavily planted, you could continue using the net to net them out. Otherwise, the only way is to pinch them with a pair of tweezers. You could use the tweezers to push it towards your net.

**xiaofeng90** · 21st May 2012, 23:41

sigh cant seem to be able to find the other one and i don't know is there more than 2 inside. But they really will feed on my shrimp or even my guppy fly ?

**mincedmeat** · 22nd May 2012, 08:32

Yes, they will. I suggest that whenever you can to camp out for them. Try using the tweezers to poke around the tank. You might be able catch them moving around.

**xiaofeng90** · 25th May 2012, 22:08

spotted 1 more but this time is black color ! may i know dragonfly one time will lay how many egg ?

**xiaofeng90** · 25th May 2012, 22:59

guess what i found this time a baby dragonfly even thought i already put a netting to cover my fish tank...

my first 2ft planted tank,

**xiaofeng90** · 25th May 2012, 23:21

anyone know what is this too ? Greenish thing like mold or something growing on my stem/plant plenty of them ):

**benjidog** · 26th May 2012, 00:22

Looks like hair algae, although picture looks fuzzy.
Use a disposable chopsticks and spin around and get rid of as much as you can, like spinning candy floss.

As for the damselfly/dragonfly nymphs, catch it with tweezers or slowly trawl the tank with a small net, and flush it down the toilet bowl (Nemo style).

**Trichopsis** · 26th May 2012, 01:24

That's not a baby dragonfly; that's an adult damselfly that has managed to slip through the netting. Looks like a female that is looking for a nice spot to lay her eggs. So you might soon end up with dragonfly nymphs AND damselfly nymphs. Both of them are predators which will prey on shrimps and small fish.

**mincedmeat** · 26th May 2012, 01:35

I am still curious at how your tank can attract that many insects! Well, it's not that I'm jealous

but just a little more curious at the attraction the insects have for your tank.

**xiaofeng90** · 28th May 2012, 18:40

oh i see i shall go and goggle for that 2 things ,
micedmeat cause my tank is just beside my window only but somehow i stay at level 8 still got so many insects sigh

**FT David** · 29th May 2012, 18:42

Dragonfly and damselfly are perfect flyers so 8th storey is nothing to them. Your block is near to garden with dense vegetation or nature reserves? Quite rare to encounter both insects to actually breed in HDB home aquariums. You are one lucky man.