Aquatic Caterpillar? HELP?

[Sukie]

A few days ago I noticed a larvae looking creature trying to climb the glass of my tank, and had not had the slightest glimpse of it until earlier? It has now encased itself in what I can only refer to as a case of leaves? Can anybody help me as to whether I should remove it? Simply keep an eye on it? I have tried to do research on it but cannot seem to find much helpful information?
Please help!

Pictures are unfortunately not amazing!

 

[fort384]

Hard to tell from the pic, but there are a couple of varieties of moths that start off as "aquatic catapillars". They eat aquatic plants... I would take it out and get rid of it.

 

[Sukie]

Will do, thankyou. Would it have got into my tank via the plantlife?

 

[fort384]

More than likely, yes. Probably had some eggs hitchhike in.

Welcome to AA by the way!

 

[TheCrazyFishLady]

This gave me the creeps. Is it common for caterpillars to come with plants???

 

[fort384]

nooo, very uncommon. Snails on the other hand..

 

[TheCrazyFishLady]

Alright. Thank you.

 

[Sukie]

Successfully removed! Cannot say the same for the 1000 snails!

 

[vic021]

Successfully removed! Cannot say the same for the 1000 snails!

For snails... Get a yo-yo loach amazing at killing all the snails and look really nice also wont destroy plants. I have one in my 55 gallon planted tank.

 

[fort384]

For snails... Get a yo-yo loach amazing at killing all the snails and look really nice also wont destroy plants. I have one in my 55 gallon planted tank.

Agreed... or a zebra loach... I put one in my 29 and never saw another snail. My little 5g ADA tank is full of 'em. I have to pull them out with tweezers a few times a week.

 

[vic021]

Agreed... or a zebra loach... I put one in my 29 and never saw another snail. My little 5g ADA tank is full of 'em. I have to pull them out with tweezers a few times a week.

Yea not a single snail now. It's to the point were i have to let the snails breed in another tank and toss in like 5 every other day so that my yo yo could eat. They kill them right away then come back through out the day to finish eating them.

 

[Sukie]

Thanks for the advice.. Put two other pics up in my album of the caterpillar incase anyone is interested, still not great though! Nasty little thing really! Quite happy I noticed it before it got a chance to hatch into something worse!