Caterpillar????

[tmtpowers]

I found two new bugs in my tank today that I believe came in with my plants. They look like hairy green/yellow caterpillars. What are they, how to I get rid of them if there are more, and can they cause harm to my fish (2 pictus cats and 1 mystery snail) or plants?

 

[Dangerdoll]

maybe they are in fact caterpillars, however that'd be a first I've heard of them as far as them being hitchikers... the more common hitchhikers are dragonfly larbvae and damsel fly nymphs... do you have a pic?

 

[gst4life]

There are underwater catepillars??

 

[blackwolfXKAV]

wait, dangerdoll, do you have any pics of those?, because i think i had some sort of insect.

 

[Tom.E]

The Pyralid Moths have aquatic caterpillar larvae. Won’t harm your fish but they will cause feeding damage to plants. Some strip off small pieces of leaves and build ‘leaf tents’ around their bodies for protection.

Just remove them as you find them.


Tom

 

[tmtpowers]

Thanks Tom and everyone else! I'll be sure to pull them out as I see them. I've seen two. One I killed the other got sucked into the filter and after that I couldn't find him...

 

[plah831]

the more common hitchhikers are dragonfly larbvae and damsel fly nymphs...

ooh, those are nasty I've heard. I've seen pics where the larvae actually grab small fishes and eat them. so I hope you don't have those.

 

[Dangerdoll]

ok, here's a rough drawing of a dragonfly nymph

and one of a damselfly nymph

 

[tmtpowers]

I had a damselfly nymph hitch hike in on a snail before. Neat little guys but he had to go. Didn't want any fish eaten!