antwan Posted October 25, 2010 Report Share Posted October 25, 2010 I cleaned out a tank of mine recently, and when the water was out I saw something weird on the heater, I thought they were snail eggs. Pulled them off and had a closer look: So, the lovely Robyn here put it on her hand to see what would happen, they certainly do like to cling on! Mouthparts She had it on her hand for probably an hour all up and said she felt a little bit of tingling every now and then, but no visible wound afterward. We also gave it a squeeze and saw tonnes of little babies coming out of its sides/back. Pretty gross really. Does anybody know anything about these? I have never seen anything like them in a tank before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisP Posted October 25, 2010 Report Share Posted October 25, 2010 I want one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supasi Posted October 25, 2010 Report Share Posted October 25, 2010 Your game Robyn. I would go near that thing. I thought the only leeches we had in NZ were plant suckers. Maybe it is some sort of maggot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdspider Posted October 25, 2010 Report Share Posted October 25, 2010 http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/resea ... ?Bu_ID=191 Top pic is a match? I couldn't find any more info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted October 25, 2010 Report Share Posted October 25, 2010 Very interesting! I thought leeches were all black (except when well fed and they go dark red). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunbird73 Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 eeyew I thought that the only pockets of leeches in NZ were in Dannevirke (seriously, not a slur against Dannevirkians LOL). My sisters friend had leeches attached to her before a skin graft op to increase blood flow... *shudder* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FishBen Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 KILL IT WITH FIRE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navarre Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 we use them at work salt on the leach or a hot something will make it let go dont pull them off as mouth parts left behind can fester used to remove excess blood to prevent haematoma or to increase blodd flow to ischaemic areas kewl find can I have some? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 awwww it is co cute! Good photos too! And to Robyn for her dedication to biological investigation. Respect! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 What's eww about them? They are very useful! :bounce: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antwan Posted October 26, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 I have another one in a rammakin here with a few babies too, you're welcome to them if you really want Nav Robyn went to wet it at work but the water either had coffee or detergent in it and it let go immediately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brennos Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 I want some too. I love weird creatures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdspider Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 From one of my lecturers: "It is probably a leech – it looks like one in the pictures. If it has segmentation (like a worm) and two suckers, one anterior and one posterior then it’s a leech. We do have leeches in lentic systems in NZ, but not the bloody-sucking kind." I didn't know they had 2 suckers, that's why it appeared to be walking backwards! So it was sucking to my hand with its rear sucker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted October 27, 2010 Report Share Posted October 27, 2010 Yeah, I showed the pics to my freshwater ecology lecturer. He didn't know much about them but said that native ones are mostly non-blood-sucking, except for some random one on an island in Fiordland that seems to suck seabirds I think he was saying that they are not entirely quite what it is doing there. And yeah, apparently two mouthparts, and he thinks it is the mouth-end holding on to her hand, but unlikely to be sucking. Fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer Posted October 27, 2010 Report Share Posted October 27, 2010 Good thing it didn't suck blood...it may have gotten a bit... tipsy. :lol: 8) That's a cute one, looks like it is out of a cartoon. I totally creeped myself out doing a brief Google search to find out what it was. Ick! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke* Posted October 27, 2010 Report Share Posted October 27, 2010 yip definitely about in the aquatics.. i've only known there to be the vegetarian variety Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxxnz Posted October 27, 2010 Report Share Posted October 27, 2010 Very interesting! I thought leeches were all black (except when well fed and they go dark red). i saw some with creamy coulor at the museum the other day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterlogged Posted October 27, 2010 Report Share Posted October 27, 2010 i know we used to find loads of littler ones in the minature train ponds of monogue park back in hamilton when me and my brother caught tadpoles as kids Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke* Posted October 30, 2010 Report Share Posted October 30, 2010 visions of "stand by me" with the leech scene.. eek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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