Hi All,

I have a reasonably new 22G tank with a range of dense planting. I have Ammano Shrimp, Ottos and Hikari Danios, all well and happy. I also have a small plague of pond snails despite sterilising plants... it happens. I had recently noticed holes in leaves, particularly a large Echinodorus and suspected the snails; however I now think I have found the culprits.

I have two small tubes of rolled leaf about an inch long and 1/8th inch wide with a wriggling creature inside.

Each has attached itself to a leaf and is eating holes in them rapidly. They are moving about under their own steam. I want to know what they are and what they turn into before I destroy them, anyone any ideas? A google search has turned up nothing.

Kill them now, befor they reproduce. By the time you figure out what they are it might be too late.

Marcel

Thank you for the advice, I have removed the two I can see from the tank. After dissecting the leaf case they have hidden themselves in they seem to be small green caterpillars of some sort. They were not killed by the KMnO4 dip I run all my new plants through, and the leaf case seems to protect them from fish. My guess is they are some sort of Moth larvae, though any further information would be most appreciated.

If anyone else has plant damage after introducing new plants I would look around for small rolled leaves, they are well camouflaged.

Many thanks again.

Not a moth, unless it is emersed leaves. My guess would be a species of caddisfly larvae.... awesome. ;P Caddisflies are really cool, look em up. Some of the species we have over here are neon orange and black.

I think I've got the same thing... they are eating, snipping off my plants...
The ones in my tank appear to be sticking two leaves from Ludwigia (and other plants together) to make a home. I have pulled the leaves apart, they're glued pretty tightly... and the catepillar worm looks fuzzy, Kinda clear/whiteish with brown mouthparts. I can see the plant material in it's digestive gut.

I'm hoping they are just some nymph form and will metamorph and get out of my tank... since my tank isn't outside.. I'm hoping they'll die off.
I guess if I see strange flying insects around I better kill them off before they lay eggs again in my tank.

I think they came in with plants I added.

i had the exact same thign too in a newly set up 10 gallon i had

i thought it was so weird, first time i saw it it looked like a leaf that was just moving

i look closer and i see a WHITE WIGGLING WORM IN IT,

anyways i had about 3-4, i took them all out, and i think they died...although a few weeks later i saw some type of fly flying around my fishtank, but that could have just been a common house fly that got into the house