There's something in my tank! What is it?

I went to feed the remaining 4 fish this morning and notice this bug or
something crawling up the acrylic on the inside of the tank! It is about
1/4th the size of a dime, oval shaped, appears flat and is greyish in color.
Has two small antennae sticking out the front and was slowly making its way
up the inside of the tank. Clearly an aquatic thing. Anyone have any idea
what this thing is? I bought the tank used and the rocks came with it so I
am assuming it came in the rocks. The tank was pretty dirty when I got it,
but I did clean each and every part until it looked like new. I dont have
time to get this thing out of the tank this morning, have to go to work. But
I would like to know what it is and if neccesary to get rid of it.

Thanks
J

Jeff wrote:
I went to feed the remaining 4 fish this morning and notice this bug or
something crawling up the acrylic on the inside of the tank! It is about
1/4th the size of a dime, oval shaped, appears flat and is greyish in color.
Has two small antennae sticking out the front and was slowly making its way
up the inside of the tank. Clearly an aquatic thing. Anyone have any idea
what this thing is? I bought the tank used and the rocks came with it so I
am assuming it came in the rocks. The tank was pretty dirty when I got it,
but I did clean each and every part until it looked like new. I dont have
time to get this thing out of the tank this morning, have to go to work. But
I would like to know what it is and if neccesary to get rid of it.

Thanks
J


sounds like you have a snail(s) to me

"Justice" wrote in message
news:MsS3f.23702$Io.10838@clgrps13...
Jeff wrote:
I went to feed the remaining 4 fish this morning and notice this bug or
something crawling up the acrylic on the inside of the tank! It is about
1/4th the size of a dime, oval shaped, appears flat and is greyish in
color.
Has two small antennae sticking out the front and was slowly making its
way
up the inside of the tank. Clearly an aquatic thing. Anyone have any
idea
what this thing is? I bought the tank used and the rocks came with it so
I
am assuming it came in the rocks. The tank was pretty dirty when I got
it,
but I did clean each and every part until it looked like new. I dont
have
time to get this thing out of the tank this morning, have to go to work.
But
I would like to know what it is and if neccesary to get rid of it.

Thanks
J


sounds like you have a snail(s) to me

Definitly NOT a snail.

Jeff wrote:
I went to feed the remaining 4 fish this morning and notice this bug or
something crawling up the acrylic on the inside of the tank! It is about
1/4th the size of a dime, oval shaped, appears flat and is greyish in color.
Has two small antennae sticking out the front and was slowly making its way
up the inside of the tank. Clearly an aquatic thing. Anyone have any idea
what this thing is? I bought the tank used and the rocks came with it so I
am assuming it came in the rocks. The tank was pretty dirty when I got it,
but I did clean each and every part until it looked like new. I dont have
time to get this thing out of the tank this morning, have to go to work. But
I would like to know what it is and if neccesary to get rid of it.

Thanks
J


Try a website like this
http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/inde...k.org.uk/pond/

You can find all sorts of web sites with pictures of aquatic organisms
if you do a google search on "pond animals" or "pond life."

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

On Sat, 15 Oct 2005 05:40:36 GMT, "Jeff"
wrote:


"Justice" wrote in message
news:MsS3f.23702$Io.10838@clgrps13...
Jeff wrote:
I went to feed the remaining 4 fish this morning and notice this bug or
something crawling up the acrylic on the inside of the tank! It is about
1/4th the size of a dime, oval shaped, appears flat and is greyish in
color.
Has two small antennae sticking out the front and was slowly making its
way
up the inside of the tank. Clearly an aquatic thing. Anyone have any
idea
what this thing is? I bought the tank used and the rocks came with it so
I
am assuming it came in the rocks. The tank was pretty dirty when I got
it,
but I did clean each and every part until it looked like new. I dont
have
time to get this thing out of the tank this morning, have to go to work.
But
I would like to know what it is and if neccesary to get rid of it.

Thanks
J


sounds like you have a snail(s) to me

Definitly NOT a snail.



snail is what I thought, but I expect you'd know them well enough.
How about an aquatic slug, a shell-less snail? I've read about them,
rare in fresh water. I think I had them before, long time ago. Just
a guess.

How about a picture?

Thusly Charles Spake Unto All:

I went to feed the remaining 4 fish this morning and notice this bug or
something crawling up the acrylic on the inside of the tank! It is about
1/4th the size of a dime, oval shaped, appears flat and is greyish in
color.
Has two small antennae sticking out the front and was slowly making its
way
up the inside of the tank.

Not much to go on there, but I'm guessing it's one of these:

http://www.bio.miami.edu/dana/106/planaria.jpg
http://www.shef.ac.uk/aps/mbiolsci/amy/asellus.jpg

There's also, as someone mentioned, freshwater slugs, but they are
indeed rare.

"Elaine T" wrote in message
t...
Jeff wrote:
I went to feed the remaining 4 fish this morning and notice this bug or
something crawling up the acrylic on the inside of the tank! It is about
1/4th the size of a dime, oval shaped, appears flat and is greyish in
color.
Has two small antennae sticking out the front and was slowly making its
way
up the inside of the tank. Clearly an aquatic thing. Anyone have any
idea
what this thing is? I bought the tank used and the rocks came with it so
I
am assuming it came in the rocks. The tank was pretty dirty when I got
it,
but I did clean each and every part until it looked like new. I dont
have
time to get this thing out of the tank this morning, have to go to work.
But
I would like to know what it is and if neccesary to get rid of it.

Thanks
J


Try a website like this

http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/inde...k.org.uk/pond/

You can find all sorts of web sites with pictures of aquatic organisms
if you do a google search on "pond animals" or "pond life."


Water Beetle I think.