[overboard]

For the last four weeks, I have had an uninvited guest in one of my tanks. It is very camera-shy, but here is a description: fuzzy black, the size and shape of a honeybee, triangular face with big black eyes, stubs where wings "should" be, three pair of clear legs, kind of like a grasshopper's. It sits on plants or clings to stems within and inch or two of the bottom, and I have never seen it do anything like eat, but it moves slowly and frequently. It stays under cover, and I have never seen it go to the top. I have big rosy barbs in there, and I don't know why they haven't attacked it. They kill every pond snail I put in, they devoured big ghost shrimp, and even tried to eat the otos I added (about a month ago, come to think of it.) Maybe the barbs that survived the oto incident learned not to attack strange creatures. Anyone have any idea what this is, and if I will be sorry if I let it live in there?

 

[jmontee]

Does it look something like the link below. It sounds like a dragonfly nymph and I would definitely take it out. These things can eat all kinds of stuff and you wouldn't even notice it. It could have eaten anything that you are missing.

http://www.bugsurvey.nsw.gov.au/html/popups/images/lge_dr-ny-b_line.gif

http://www.bugsurvey.nsw.gov.au/html/popups/bpedia_08_tol_dr-ny-a.html

 

[overboard]

That's it exactly, in black. It will be a tough catch; maybe I can tweeze it. My son would freak out if there was a dragonfly in the house... thank you for the info!

 

[aquabillpers]

Dragonfly larvae (and those of the smaller damsel fly) will eat anything that they can catch, but the adults don't bother anything larger than mosquitoes.

They are short-lived, living as adults for just a few months.

There are many species, some quite beautiful.

Bill