Parasite, maybe larvae?..

[isabelmarie]

Hello, not to sure if this is the correct sub-thread place to post this but are these parasites/larvae of some sort? To me they look like half dragonfly/half shrimp. There clear and they jump around when I try to vacuum them up. First photo, alive. Second, dead

 

[SamMe]

Look up damselfly or dragonfly larvae. I don't know much about them, but until someone else chimes in I know enough from reading the forum to know they are bad news.

 

[StarGirl]

Looks like a damselfly nymph. So you were pretty close. How did it die? They are bad news so it is a good thing.

 

[smee82]

Yep thats a damselfly nymph get rid of it and any others you can find

 

[isabelmarie]

How should I go about getting rid of them? Total tear down and rebuild? Can I use the same equipment if I do a bleach dip? Should I throw the plants to? Can I reuse my substrate if I dry it out/bake it, maybe? smee82


And as how they’ve been dying, I have no clue. I just saw them while vacuuming. StarGirl

 

[StarGirl]

No need to tear down. Just remove them when you see them. Are there like a lot?

 

[isabelmarie]

No need to tear down. Just remove them when you see them. Are there like a lot?

I’m assuming because had 12 fish/1 snail, now I have none. Not sure if they ate them or made the sick and they died off but yeah. In the last week I’ve vacuumed around 15 or so

 

[smee82]

They will hunt smaller fish so if you have had a heap in your tank that could explain your losses.

Personally if youve already vacuumed a heap i would remove everything from you tank and make sure you get rid of any nymphs.

You could leave any small carpeting plants or any plants easy to check but anything they could hide in i would remove.

 

[isabelmarie]

Okay. That’s what I did and replace the substrate with sand. im glad to hear if I check the plants I can keep them. Thank you! smee82