What the hell is this?
- Thread starter Lawlboom
- Start date
Looks like an amphipod, maybe even a Gammarus, or related species.
They are very common in the Great Lakes, but stay a bit smaller, I believe because of the colder temps. I raised them in my ponds and rain barrels as live food, mine usually only grew to less than an inch. Even after the ponds would freeze to the bottom, heie would reappear in spring, and easily show up in tanks, when I'd move plants around, or sink some drift would I'd been soaking outside.
They are very common in the Great Lakes, but stay a bit smaller, I believe because of the colder temps. I raised them in my ponds and rain barrels as live food, mine usually only grew to less than an inch. Even after the ponds would freeze to the bottom, heie would reappear in spring, and easily show up in tanks, when I'd move plants around, or sink some drift would I'd been soaking outside.
I have no idea how it would have ended up in your aquarium, but it looks like the pupa of a Darkling beetle, to me.
I think you're right. It's hard to tell from the pictures but if you look at the side profile it appears as if the antennae are bent down stuck against the body. Just missing a few legs. I won't lie, at first I thought it was that creepy tongue eating parasite. Heart stopped for a minute. REALLY did not want to deal with that.
My Fiance has a bearded dragon and she feeds him super worms. I guess one must have escape and made it into the tank somehow? Superworm pupa looks just like it. I feel dumb for not thinking of that first.
This is one that I have right now in my feeder container. I use superworms (darkling beetle larvae) as feeders for my tarantulas.
Thanks for the ID! Something weird is nice to shake things up I guess as long as it's not bad haha