# An uninvited guest



## je760 (May 6, 2010)

I hope someone could solve this mystery for me. I was performing regular maintenance in my aquarium and noticed that a branch of my aquarium plant was broken. I put it in my water change bucket and soon found something wiggling:




Since then I caught another 3 worms in my aquarium, all attached on my plants. So far none of my tetra and swordtails appear to be bothered by them but my plants are not so lucky. Holes started to appear in some of my broad leave plants.

Please can someone identify what these worms are, and how I can safely eradicate them without hurting my fish and plants? Do I need to take everything out and bleach them (I hope that's not necessary)... Thanks!


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## jobber (May 14, 2010)

they look like a larvae or some sort from either a dragonfly, moth, beetle......mealworm. where did you get your plants from?
http://ca.images.search.yahoo.com/i...fn&sigb=1375cl287&type=JPG&.crumb=NUhZ9oOCGTu


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## je760 (May 6, 2010)

Thanks Jobber. I got the plants from PJ Pets in Richmond. Any idea how to get rid of them or what kind of fish will eat them? If I starve my swordtails, do you think they will eat the worms? I'm pretty sure my tetras won't.


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## jobber (May 14, 2010)

wow. that LFS eh. i'm most definitely sure that those insects hitched a ride with the plants when it was still an egg. it then hatch and now making a feast of your plants. 

you have a few options but are not limited to these:
1.) let them grow to that size and pick them out. i'm sure, but don't take this for face value, that there could only be 'that' many eggs with the leaves. the larvaes don't lay eggs. if you pick most or all of them out, you can observe and see if the leaves still show holes in them. 
2.) depending on the type of plant (if it's a sword plant), then give it a good hair cut by cutting most of the leaves or all of it and let it regrow. that way, you eliminate the insects food source.

this is just my own personal opinion but i:
1.)wouldn't want to put any medications just to get rid of that type of stuff. it may kill your fish and kill good bacteria in your tank. insecticides will just pollute your water.
2.) or buy a carnivorous fish just for the purpose to eat just those insects. once you eradicate the insects, it may entice it to go after your tetras after, and then you're stuck with a fish you don't want.

keep us uptodate with the progress.


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## katienaha (May 9, 2010)

try salt dipping the plants to kill any more eggs and larvae to try and catch a population explosion. try starving the swordtails...


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## kelly528 (Apr 21, 2010)

Dragonfly larvae for sure. When they grow bigger, they may be a threat to smaller fish & fry. They're predatory. Maybe keep the plants in coppersafe for 24h to kill any eggs?


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## Smiladon (Apr 23, 2010)

katienaha said:


> try salt dipping the plants to kill any more eggs and larvae to try and catch a population explosion. try starving the swordtails...





kelly528 said:


> Dragonfly larvae for sure. When they grow bigger, they may be a threat to smaller fish & fry. They're predatory. Maybe keep the plants in coppersafe for 24h to kill any eggs?


+1 for both ideas


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## darb (Apr 21, 2010)

Plants can suffer from osmotic shock so you may want to watch your salt concentrations if you go with salt.

Potassium permanganate will also work and is commonly used to remove pests such as snails.

I also have gotten hitchhikers from plants from PJs, they undoubtedly come from an open air farm.


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## cpool (Apr 30, 2010)

It looks like a Caddis fly larvae (I am about 99.9% sure as a fly fisherman), no threat to your fish. I wouldn't worry about treating the plants, you can just pull any more out if you find them. Likely you won't have anymore, just my take on it.


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## Keri (Aug 2, 2010)

Dragonfly larvae are carnivorous so they wouldn't be bothering your plants, plus they have big legs and don't look like that. Those look like something else, probably vegetarian if they are eating your plants, I'm sure a coppersafe soak (at the recommended dose, in a bucket for a few hours) would kill them as copper and inverts don't mix lol.


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## je760 (May 6, 2010)

Just like to thank everyone for your knowledge!! I have since pulled two more of the worms from my tank. These worms are quite fascinating actually because they use broken broad leaves as blankets and always hide in between a folded leaf. Well, not fascinating enough for me to keep them but still...

So if I go with the coppersafe dip what concentration should I use? I also have some potassium permanganate. Can I dose the tank with this instead?

I'm glad somebody mentioned snails because the plants also came with snails. I hope the treatment will kill both of them.


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

Don't dose your tank with potassium permanganate. Pull the plants out and dose them seperately in a bucket. It will kill snails too by the way.

Here's a link about using P.P.: Jake's Planted Aquarium Pages | Disinfecting Plants - Before or After


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## cpool (Apr 30, 2010)

If it lives in the leaves it most definetly (100%) is a Caddis Fly Larve, very interesting! No threat to your fish, only the plants.


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