what on earth is this

[Dominick]

Well about a week ago i was looking around the tank making sure all was good and i noticed something all the way at the on one of the air lines in my 80 Gal tank so knowing i dident stick it there i wanted it out heres a pic

um sorry this is so big i forgot to resize it

 

[Guest]

wow, thats a pretty big bug, maybe an egg hitched a ride on a new plant you might of added?

 

[YuccaPatrol]

That appears to be a dragonfly/damselfly nymph.

They are predatory and will eat anything they can catch.

Best to remove it, especially if you have small fish.

 

[catfishattack]

was this bug in the water or just near the water?

 

[Dominick]

i removed it as soon as i saw it and i found it almost t the bottom of the tank on the air lines scarry thing is my oto loves them air lines but hes still good

 

[hc8719]

dont kill it, throw it in a pond where it can eat mosquito larvae, and when becoming a dragon fly, eat up to 50 mosquitos a week

 

[Dominick]

I live in the valley of arizona the only time iv seen a pond is when i spit on the ground

 

[travis simonson]

Definitely not a good thing for an aquarium. As stated, they can be pretty nasty if you've got small fish. Double check your tank to make sure that was the only one.

 

[hc8719]

your positive there is no pond where you live, a dragon fly had to of lay it.

put it in a bucket or qt tank, and put some frozen mosquito larva in for him (dont bother with freeze dried its more expensive, and they wont eat it)

also as he developes, be sure to put a stick that reaches out of the water so he can climb out when he gets wings.

and if your not willing to buy some bloodworms, leave the container he's in outside, in some shade, where a mosquito will leg her eggs in, (considering there are mosquitos in arizona, if you have no ponds)

kill leftover mosquito larvae when he flys out...

 

[Speakerman]

Yeah man I would raise that thing, It'd be pretty cool to watch the transfermation.

 

[fish_4_all]

Definately a dragonfly larva. Really cool find. I would think it came in on some kind of plant that was cultured outside or in big manmade tubs. It can stay in that form for quite a while, 1-5 years depending on species.

This might help a little.