I’m a mammalogist primarily, and I’m admittedly clueless at many invertebrates, worms especially. First saw this thing a week ago when moving some plants around my scape, it emerged from under the large stone in the center of my tank, couldn’t catch it. Saw it tonight while checking on my betta and snagged it.
Uses that scrunch and unscrunch/peristaltic locomotion along the bottom regularly, eel-like/anguilliform locomotion through the water when startled (3rd pic)
About 1” long when scrunched up, about 3”-4” when extended. What on earth is this thing??? It doesn’t have the head shape of most planarians, but maybe it’s just a less common species, could this guy or their offspring have been part of the reason my shrimp all kicked the bucket??
Posted by ThenEffective83
3 Comments
How do we get rid of leeches?
This is a leech. Remove it immediately!!
Confirmed as leech! Someone in what’s this insect went as far as giving the possibility of Barbronia weberi – a species for which the diet is primarily worms snails and shrimp… a small issue as someone with an obscene amount of snails (that have been suspiciously rare to spot versus the 200 or so I usually have) that started off as pests and have grown to become beloved cleaning staff for my one-betta 10 gal lol