Squatting benthic invertebrates in the aquarium- anyone else seen this before?

[prenderg]

Has this ever happened to anyone else: walk by your aquarium look in and see someone who shouldn't be in there walking/swimming around like he owns the place?

This happened to me a couple weeks ago when I noticed this guy walking around on the bottom of my tank

http://76.10.145.25/~tim/photos/mayfly/IMG_0448c.JPG

I though it was a mayfly nymph (as you may see from my directory tree structure) until I came to this link:

http://www.life.uiuc.edu/ib/109/Insect%20rearing/damselfly.html

And realized it was a damselfly. He has crawled out of the water now, and is drying his wings to take flight (9:45pm 2007/09/20)- I can't wait to have this guy buzzing around the apartment (my girlfriend is even more excited!).

These are some of the clearer shots from tonight- he is right up by the water's edge.

http://76.10.145.25/~tim/photos/mayfly/mayfly_0008.jpeg
http://76.10.145.25/~tim/photos/mayfly/mayfly_0009.jpeg
http://76.10.145.25/~tim/photos/mayfly/mayfly_0010.jpeg

Curious to hear any other similar stories. Regards,

Tim

[MikeM]

I had one of those guys when I first set up my tank.  I didn't have a clue what it was at the time, and missed my chance to snap a picture of him.  He eventually crawled out of the water and buzzed around in the hood for a good day or two.  I never saw him again after that, I presume he found his way out and became a cat treat.

On a sort-of related note, I bought some plants the other day, brought them home and did the usual bleach dip.  Lo and behold, a little tiny guppy fry darted to the surface.  I scooped him into the fresh water bucket, but figured he was toast.  Two days later and he's still swimming around in his bucket, and taking powdered flake.  I don't think my bleach dip is strong enough

A good surprise is nice now and then.

[beowulf]

Never had any sort of stowaway like that.  A few snails maybe on plants but that is about it.  Interesting stuff.

[Nerine]

nice   I had a lil bugger in my tank once and it killed my guppy fry! but it is interesting sometimes to find other creatures in your tank! (as long as they don't pose a threat to anyone else!)

[prenderg]

He has flown away somewhere now, and there seems to be another one staring me in the face.

Looking in my tank is like reading a Where's Waldo book now.

Just have to figure out how many are walking around in there;)

[Aquaviewer]

Those nymphs appear to be common hitch hikers on plants from south east Asian suppliers, such as bunch plants. Or at least any plants cultivated in tropical outdoor ponds.

[beowulf]

Those nymphs appear to be common hitch hikers on plants from south east Asian suppliers, such as bunch plants. Or at least any plants cultivated in tropical outdoor ponds.

If this is true would it not be a good idea to kill them and not let them fly away like some people seem to do?

[Aquaviewer]

If this is true would it not be a good idea to kill them and not let them fly away like some people seem to do?

That would be a good suggestion.

[prenderg]

I've found the body of the first fellow in the aquarium- he didn't seem to make it too far. I'll keep the cover down on the second one- it shouldn't be too long before he hits the water and drowns also.

These guys have been neat to watch walk around in my tank, but I appreciate the invasive species/genetic diversity arguments and am looking to keep these guys out of the Ottawa environment/gene pool.