# Damselfly hatch in my tank...with pictures.



## sns26 (Mar 29, 2010)

I noticed a couple of little aquatic insects in my tank a few weeks ago, and managed to identify them as damselfly nymphs. I figured they were (mostly) harmless, and didn't worry about it. I'm glad I lived and let live because last night I got a nice treat and another reminder of how much more fun aquariums are when they more closely resemble actual aquatic ecosystems. 

Over the course of about 3 hours, I had 4 damselfly nymphs emerge from their nymph stage onto some emergent driftwood. Then they flitted about my house. I'd have tried to shoo them out the door, but it's cold and I doubt they'd have survived long.


----------



## tzen (Dec 31, 2008)

Super cool!


----------



## johnny313 (Apr 15, 2011)

what do or did you have in your tank?


----------



## sns26 (Mar 29, 2010)

johnny313 said:


> what do or did you have in your tank?


I'm guessing you mean "what did these critters come in on?" The answer is I don't know. There's a ton of plants in there, most from my local plant club. I only set the tank up two months ago.


----------



## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

I think he's asking what fauna do you have in your tank? Is it a fish only tank? Shrimps? Etc. Since the damselfly larvae are known to eat shrimps.


----------



## johnny313 (Apr 15, 2011)

sorry... are there fish in there? shrimp? .. thanks Diwu.. you beat me to it.. need more coffee!!!


----------



## sns26 (Mar 29, 2010)

johnny313 said:


> sorry... are there fish in there? shrimp?


 
For fish, there's a small school (~15) of Espey's rasboras, and couple of rummynoses. There are also about ten amanos and a half-dozen CRS shrimp. I have not noticed any missing shrimp, but I have not seen any babies in the two months that the tank has been set up.


----------



## johnny313 (Apr 15, 2011)

i had over 100 nymphs in my tank.... it was crazy


----------



## rikardob (Aug 13, 2011)

Amazing!


----------



## Milo (Dec 29, 2011)

Today I was checking my Co2 diffuser and noticed this same little bug in my tank. Last month I purchased 4 different types of plants from Petco(all growing). Also purchased 3 leopard snails from LFS. So I am not sure where this little creature came from....but I know my wife is freaked out by it.


----------



## DesmondTheMoonBear (Dec 19, 2011)

The adult damsels will make alittle slit in plant stems and lay eggs in them. The eggs can last a long time and hatch depending on time and temperature. When you have a couple dozen of these guys in a densly planted tank, they'll do a lot of damage, eating every baby shrimp they can. I had dragonfly larve in my first shrimp tank and even watched them team up to kill the larger shrimp.


----------

