Hitch-hikers!

[QTOFFER]

Last week, I purchased some Java fern and hornwort at a fish auction... and these little beasties must have tagged along. I've attached a pic.

They'e 1 mm long, reddish-brown insects.
They look like beetles, but they have piercing/sucking mouthparts - that would place them in the same order as aphids (Hemiptera). I figure that they're not good for the plants (as few insects with piercing/sucking mouthparts ever are).

Does anyone know what these guys are and the best way to eradicate them? My tetra doesn't seem interested in eating them, so I've been skimming them off the water surface.

 

[Melody]

Im pretty sure it is a Globular Springtail
(family Sminthuridae)
Springtails have potato-shaped bodies, useally less then 1/16" long, and 6 short legs. A narrow necklike prothorax is connected to a globular head, which has elbowed antennae that are often longer then the head. The male has a hook at the bend of each antenna, which is used to grasp the antennae of the mate so male can be carried on mates back untill the female is ready to lay eggs. Females are larger the males, and lack the antennal hooks. In both sexes the springing organ protrudes from the main mass of the body. Nymphs and adults scavenage the surface of fresh water for pollen grains and other small particles of edible organic matter.

Dont bet the house on this but Im pretty sure thats what you have... now will they breed, Im not sure. Keep them off the water surface and lets hope for the best...
Good Luck!!!
~Melody
PS take them to the plant store and raise heck

 

[Melody]

Im pretty sure it is a Globular Springtail

PS take them to the plant store and raise heck

Whoops.... auction.... nevermind

 

[TankGirl]

What a comprehensive response! I'll certainly keep Melody in mind next time there's a creepy crawly ID to be done -

 

[glasstapper]

lmao hey-- don't ask a question you don't want the full answer to very impressive mel,

 

[Melody]

and I actually HATE bugs.

 

[madasafish]

LOL. Love the sig line, Melody (and I'm a guy). How do you come to know so much about bugs? Entymologist, or good internet researcher?

 

[madasafish]

Oh, and if you post a picture of that unidentified spotted catfish, we might be able to help you identify it.

 

[QTOFFER]

Thanks for the response, Melody!

I brought some of these little guys into work today and looked at them with the dissecting microscope at 40 X magnification.
What I saw looked alot like this: http://www.defenders.co.uk/Aphid.jpg .
The long beak tucked under the head and the two tube-like structures at the rear of the abdomen helped make a positive ID. Ugh, I have aphids!

I was surprised because I didn't know of any aquatic aphid species - these guys do well under water, but they seem to congregate on my floating hornwort above water. Aphids wreak havoc in my vegetable garden and on my houseplants, so I'm very inclined to eradicate them from my aquarium.

I saw this product rom Aquarium Pharmaceuticals on the net.
http://www.reptiledirect.com/browseproducts/Herbal-Aphid-Control.html
It's supposed to kill aphids on pond plantss and it's supposed to be safe for fish. Nevertheless, I was thinking of treating my plants with it in a bucket. Has anyone ever used this?

 

[Menagerie]

You may want to ask over in the Planted tank forum

 

[Melody]

Argh... I hate it when I am wrong... SORRY!!! I tried, and the pic matched the description perfect, although in my book I couldn't see the mouth parts. At first I thought it looked like some type of flea, well I would take all plants out and treat in a bucket too. Good luck, and maybe next time I'll get it.
~Melody

 

[Melody]

LOL. Love the sig line, Melody (and I'm a guy). How do you come to know so much about bugs? Entymologist, or good internet researcher?

My interest? lets call it paranoia, started in college when the guy I was dating had a trigger? fish? (the ones that shoot the water up on the stick to get the bug to fall in the water). This fish only ate live bugs and I was always catching them, untill one night I found out that I had caught a Black Widow Spider with my bare hands for it. Well I then set out to learn as much as possiable about the bugs BEFORE I caught it. Alls well that ends well...

I tried to update my profile, but for some reason it didnt take... Im just being lazy... Its a Pictus Cat, and it has one HECK of an appitate!

~Melody

 

[TankGirl]

Sounds like an archer fish - cool!

 

[Melody]

Sounds like an archer fish - cool!

He was cool, you could hold the bug just over the water and he'd shoot it. It would just suprise me and I'd drop the bug and he'd hit it with lighting fast speed. It was really cool to watch.

OH, OH, OH, now I know what I want for my next tank!!! I wonder where I can find them... argh...its 2:40 am and now Im going to have to start a whole new search... 8O

 

[QTOFFER]

I've been soaking the plant in chlorinated water straight out of the tap - the aphids didn't like that and many dropped off. I've also been squishing any aphids that I see in the tank - tetra food!. Hopefully these measures will get rid of them without my having to resort to chemicals.

 

[TankGirl]

Wow - aphids in the fishtank. I'll definitely remember this thread for future reference!