Sanzosam Posted February 4, 2023 Share Posted February 4, 2023 (edited) This strange creature on the glass has been loitering in my tank for about a few months, not multiplying nor affecting anything in the tank. Searched online for some id on this but to no avail, if you happen to know what this is, I be happy to be enlightened. Link to video of the creature's movement here; Edited February 4, 2023 by Sanzosam 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJs Aquatics Posted February 4, 2023 Share Posted February 4, 2023 I’m super interested to see the answer to this I’ve never seen one of those… 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sanzosam Posted February 4, 2023 Author Share Posted February 4, 2023 I have a video showing me using tweezers to prod and see its movement. Quite fascinating. But i cant upload videos here, is there somewhere i can do so? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy Vercetti Posted February 4, 2023 Share Posted February 4, 2023 Youtube. Then post the YouTube link. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted February 4, 2023 Share Posted February 4, 2023 (edited) I would totally have not left that in the tank. 😂 Hopefully it's not some crazy pest. @modified lung @Biotope Biologist any ideas? Edited February 4, 2023 by nabokovfan87 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sanzosam Posted February 4, 2023 Author Share Posted February 4, 2023 On 2/5/2023 at 2:58 AM, Tommy Vercetti said: Youtube. Then post the YouTube link. Added link above 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luciferkrist Posted February 4, 2023 Share Posted February 4, 2023 First impression would be some crazy huge flatworm, but once it recoiled from your prodding... I'm leaning toward leech. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odd Duck Posted February 4, 2023 Share Posted February 4, 2023 That’s a leech. You’ll want to remove it. The pattern on the underside is a give away. It may sometimes move by waving its front half around, then working it’s way to a new spot in an almost inchworm type movement. 5 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldie Blue Posted February 4, 2023 Share Posted February 4, 2023 On 2/4/2023 at 1:03 PM, nabokovfan87 said: I would totally have not left that in the tank. 😂 Queue the Stranger Things music. Nope!!! Don't like the looks of that thing at all lol. On 2/4/2023 at 1:24 PM, Odd Duck said: That’s a leech How does one get a leech in a tank? Bringing it in with plants or something? Yeesh, it's terrifying! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotope Biologist Posted February 4, 2023 Share Posted February 4, 2023 (edited) Wow that would be an amazing specimen for teaching leech anatomy. Never seen one where you could see all the internal structures so visibly. If you have access to some ethanol and a university they would greatly appreciate that 😁 Edited February 4, 2023 by Biotope Biologist 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odd Duck Posted February 4, 2023 Share Posted February 4, 2023 On 2/4/2023 at 1:28 PM, Goldie Blue said: How does one get a leech in a tank? Bringing it in with plants or something? Yeesh, it's terrifying! Yep, either on live plants (Reverse Respiration is your friend for prevention) or in live aquatic foods like blackworms. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sanzosam Posted February 4, 2023 Author Share Posted February 4, 2023 On 2/5/2023 at 3:24 AM, Odd Duck said: That’s a leech. You’ll want to remove it. The pattern on the underside is a give away. It may sometimes move by waving its front half around, then working it’s way to a new spot in an almost inchworm type movement. Holy.. Pretty freaked out now.. And to think that swam in the tank for months. Probably explains why i lost couple of lampeyes for no reason. Heres another video: On 2/5/2023 at 3:28 AM, Goldie Blue said: Queue the Stranger Things music. Nope!!! Don't like the looks of that thing at all lol. How does one get a leech in a tank? Bringing it in with plants or something? Yeesh, it's terrifying! My fault, grabbed stuff from the wild 🙄 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odd Duck Posted February 4, 2023 Share Posted February 4, 2023 They will usually leave a wound on the fish after they detach, but it might not be obvious depending on what other livestock you may have in the tank and how soon the bodies were found after they died. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotope Biologist Posted February 4, 2023 Share Posted February 4, 2023 (edited) In my experience leeches prefer more robust “meals” they don’t usually target something that would die from an involuntary blood draw. They stay in the substrate for the most part and some eat detritus and other worms. On 2/4/2023 at 11:50 AM, Sanzosam said: My fault, grabbed stuff from the wild 🙄 I’d watch out for dragonfly and damselfly nymphs as well in that case. Not a problem until they are a few months old and can catch small fish or crustaceans. Edited February 4, 2023 by Biotope Biologist 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odd Duck Posted February 4, 2023 Share Posted February 4, 2023 On 2/4/2023 at 2:15 PM, Biotope Biologist said: In my experience leeches prefer more robust “meals” they don’t usually target something that would die from an involuntary blood draw. They stay in the substrate for the most part and some eat detritus and other worms. I’d watch out for dragonfly and damselfly nymphs as well in that case. Not a problem until they are a few months old and can catch small fish or crustaceans. I suppose it depends on how hungry they are on whether they would attach to a smaller fish. I’ve seen pics of leaches attached to surprisingly small aquarium fish. Smart note about dragonfly and damselfly larvae, for sure, especially when collecting stuff from the wild. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modified lung Posted February 4, 2023 Share Posted February 4, 2023 Snail Leech or something similar. I've only actually seen them feed on worms. I strongly suspect they eat fish eggs as well. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mynameisnobody Posted February 4, 2023 Share Posted February 4, 2023 I would totally toss it into a 5 or 10 gallon and see what happens. Does it need a host fish? I’m super fascinated and I’ve never seen anything like that. Amazing. Thanks for documenting it. @Sanzosam 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KittenFishMom Posted February 4, 2023 Share Posted February 4, 2023 That is a leech, no question. I just found a few in my shrimp tank, which I thought I had been so careful with. might have grabbed on a wet net coming through plants from the lake in the other tank. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chick-In-Of-TheSea Posted February 4, 2023 Share Posted February 4, 2023 On 2/4/2023 at 4:32 PM, Mynameisnobody said: I would totally toss it into a 5 or 10 gallon and see what happens. Does it need a host fish? I’m super fascinated and I’ve never seen anything like that. Amazing. Thanks for documenting it. @Sanzosam I too think it’s really neat. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chick-In-Of-TheSea Posted February 4, 2023 Share Posted February 4, 2023 In the photos you can see blood inside it, which means it fed on something… 🩸 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BAT Posted February 4, 2023 Share Posted February 4, 2023 😱😱😱 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val Posted February 4, 2023 Share Posted February 4, 2023 It has taken me three hours to come back and post. I've had leeches on me. Just about the grossest thing imaginable. I would have doused that thing with alcohol... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anjum Posted February 5, 2023 Share Posted February 5, 2023 On 2/4/2023 at 11:50 AM, Sanzosam said: My fault, grabbed stuff from the wild Where do you live? I, for one, am thoroughly horrified. 😳 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted February 5, 2023 Share Posted February 5, 2023 On 2/4/2023 at 11:50 AM, Sanzosam said: Holy.. Pretty freaked out now.. And to think that swam in the tank for months. Probably explains why i lost couple of lampeyes for no reason. Could've came from a water change too depending on location and source. Keep an eye out for more, you can dose in salt and stuff if you need to just to help the fish perk up. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sanzosam Posted February 5, 2023 Author Share Posted February 5, 2023 On 2/5/2023 at 9:32 AM, nabokovfan87 said: Could've came from a water change too depending on location and source. Keep an eye out for more, you can dose in salt and stuff if you need to just to help the fish perk up. So far I have only seen one. Probably the third time it appeared over such a long time. Will definitely keep an eye out for more. I will try not to intervene as much as possible and let nature take its course. Very likely it came from some river pebbles, those are the only stuff from the wild. On 2/5/2023 at 8:28 AM, Anjum said: Where do you live? I, for one, am thoroughly horrified. 😳 In Southeast Asia 😁 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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