# Help!! Help!! Help!!



## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

I ordered plants from Aquaticmagic and they arrived today. They were mosses. One of the plants was Plagiomnium Trichomanes. When I took the pieces out of the bag to sandwich them between mesh a long skinny black centipede looking creature about 1/2" crawled out of one piece and into another!!! :spider: I couldn't see him anymore. I finished the mess and submersed him in water and HE DID NOT COME OUT!!!  I have it in my new empty tank. No plants, no gravel just water. It is stuck to the bottom. What do I do? Will it die? Will it infest the tank? How do I get it out of there!! BTW, I'm a girly girl and the thing grosses me out!!!! I have a Singapore bug in the tank !!!  I'm afraid to open the rest of the mosses! HELP!!


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## DonaldmBoyer (Aug 18, 2005)

Maybe it's crawling around on you right now.........

My thinking is that it is a terristrial bug that hid in the moss when it was being packaged and will probably die when it drowns in the water. I would submerse all of the moss in your EMPTY water-filled tank, and keep an eye out for it. If you see it crawling around in there after a few days, kill it by scooping it out with a net and squishing it underfoot.


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## gibmaker (Jan 3, 2007)

If it isn't aquatic it will surely die or find its way out. If it finds it's way out, guess what, it's in your house. I would check to see if it is in there maybe grab some tweasers and shake around the mesh inside the aquarium and see if you can find him.


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## DonaldmBoyer (Aug 18, 2005)

Careful....it may be the infamous Singapore "Ooga-Booga" bug; very poisonous!!


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## puttyman70 (Aug 7, 2007)

Maybe you could catch it grow it out and sell it. Evidently there is a market for these things!

http://www.kenthebugguy.com/index.php?cPath=39&osCsid=1d9d40e3df142bf58c1ba22d59d0893b

Seriously though I wouldn't worry about it. I imagine all kids of critters get shipped in aquatic plants all the time and I don't believe there are any recorded fatalities.

Unless you have the aforementioned ooga booga bug.


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Just want you to know I feel such warm fuzzies coming from my fellow comrades out there....[smilie=w:

Gibmaker - I've tried the tweezer thing - nothing comes out. It's been in there 4 hours and I see no corpse and nothing live... If it is aquatic I think that will be worse!! 

DonaldMBoyer - "Maybe it's crawling around on you right now......... Maybe it is the "Ooga-Booga" bug" - I feel itchy all over.... I think you need some moss - want me to ship some to you.... I have just the little packet for you! :heh:

Puttyman70 - You knew if you put a link in I would have to look!! :shock:

I am going to have to get up my nerve to open the other 4 bags!!! Wonder if I could soak them in something that wouldn't kill the moss but would kill the bug? What about Excell or Peroxide? Would that do it??? Snail-away??


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## Halibass (Jan 28, 2007)

Maybe a very mild, quick bleach bath will get it wiggling enough for you to separate it. Make sure you declor very well afterwards though. Don't forget to take a pic of the bug


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Halibass said:


> Maybe a very mild, quick bleach bath will get it wiggling enough for you to separate it. Make sure you declor very well afterwards though. Don't forget to take a pic of the bug


Good idea! :idea: I'm gonna try that!

Tried it - I guess I didn't make the clorox mild enough - or I left it in too long. The moss doesn't look too good [smilie=f: - and I never saw the bug come out! :mmph:


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

Sometimes these types of problems are just related to the number of martinis consumed before opening the bag? I think that's when the Ooga Booga Bug shows up most often. Incidentally, it is probably too late to suggest this, but wearing shoes when stepping on such creatures is highly recommended. (Mandatory for the Ooga Booga Bug!)


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

hoppycalif said:


> Sometimes these types of problems are just related to the number of martinis consumed before opening the bag? I think that's when the Ooga Booga Bug shows up most often. Incidentally, it is probably too late to suggest this, but wearing shoes when stepping on such creatures is highly recommended. (Mandatory for the Ooga Booga Bug!)


ROFL :rofl: =D>


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Just wanted to let you know (because you're so worried about me ) that I opened the other moss bags and there were no more bugs! YEAH!! I even had the nerve to put them in netting! Brave me!


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## Halibass (Jan 28, 2007)

Tex Gal said:


> Good idea! :idea: I'm gonna try that!
> 
> Tried it - I guess I didn't make the clorox mild enough - or I left it in too long. The moss doesn't look too good [smilie=f: - and I never saw the bug come out! :mmph:[/QUOTE]
> 
> Don't throw out the moss, it should make a full comeback. Wonder where the little bugger went?


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Halibass said:


> Don't throw out the moss, it should make a full comeback. Wonder where the little bugger went?


You just had to add that last part - didn't you! 

I didn't throw it out. It's still in the tank. I do wonder what happened to him. Maybe he's just dead in there and can't come out - ya think? :doh:


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## sayshrimp (Nov 5, 2007)

Usually, 1- 10% bleach water is used, sometimes even up to 25%. Well, thats what the home tissue culture club uses for micro propagation. 10 min. at least then rinse thoroughly.


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## gotcheaprice (Sep 4, 2007)

O_O

That'd scare the crap out of me! I will always open a bag of plants into a keep bucket with shallow water from now on D:

I hope you find it and it's not running around your house!


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Here is what he looked like but dark brown, almost black. About 1/2". PRETTY GROSS!











sayshrimp said:


> Usually, 1- 10% bleach water is used, sometimes even up to 25%. Well, thats what the home tissue culture club uses for micro propagation. 10 min. at least then rinse thoroughly.


Well when I bleached the moss, it wasn't in there 10 min. and I know it wasn't more than 10%. I may have miscalculated my 20:1 but not by more than half. I rinsed after about 2 minutes and then used Prime to dechlorinate any residual. All the moss is brown this am. If I look hard and imagine I might see a hint of green... (yeah right!). It's not hurting anything in there so I'll just leave it.


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## aquabillpers (Apr 13, 2006)

I wonder if the eggs that it laid are still in the moss? I wonder if the thing has an aquatic stage? I wonder how well camouflaged the young ones are?

Please be sure to keep us informed.

Bill


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

{QUOTE=aquabillpers;355240]I wonder if the eggs that it laid are still in the moss? I wonder if the thing has an aquatic stage? I wonder how well camouflaged the young ones are?
Please be sure to keep us informed.
Bill[/QUOTE]

NOW NOW NOW!!! COME ON!!! I don't need any help imagining danger! I have even thought about being responsible for bringing a new species into the U.S.! "So sorry... Officer... I didn't know!!!" 

Maybe I should get some of those mosquito eater fish....... ummmmmm


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## kakkoii (Jan 18, 2008)

From now on I am going to be very careful when opening my bags!!!o


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## Zippin (Oct 27, 2007)

oh my.. i normally get my plants form my local shop and was going to try ordering some online... i guess i may be alittle cautous when opening my the plants up now, and planting them in my tank...

I could not sleep at all not knowing where the bug had gone  nasty


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

I finally got an answer from AquaticMagic (4 days after contacting them!)
"No worries. It will not infest your tank. Centipedes wont live underwater. And the black species is not poisonous and not dangerous to human. =), Cheers! Mike"
... let's see now.... it looked black to me..... so does he mean that a different color is poisonous?!... strangely I don't feel very comforted.


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## aquabillpers (Apr 13, 2006)

"Centipedes" won't live under water? Are you sure? There are such things as water centipedes. it's hard to find info about them, but here's a link to a short thread where they are discussed:

http://www.caudata.org/forum/showthread.php?t=50474

Actually, I think what you had/have could be a hellgrammite, the aquatic larva of the dobsonfly. They have large mandibles and they bite fiercely. They are very capable predators and are good at hiding.

Some keep them as pets.

They do not come out of the water at night, looking for warm-blooded animals. Probably.

Good luck!

Bill


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

aquabillpers said:


> They do not come out of the water at night, looking for warm-blooded animals. Probably.
> 
> Good luck!
> 
> Bill


Doesn't that depend entirely on the phase of the moon? I seem to recall something about the full moon?

Seriously, that vendor really should have apologized profusely, offered a gift certificate perhaps. Sending unwanted hitch hikers along with a plant shipment is a serious thing for a company hoping to increase their business.


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## Halibass (Jan 28, 2007)

Hmm, if they don't live underwater, then where's the body?


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

You guys keep creeping me out!:fear: Everytime I get a handle on this thing you bring up some other horrid bug! :faint: My ace is the hole is the bleach bath! All my eggs are in that basket.

Yeah I thought his response was not enough too. Course a gift certificate would do me no good. I'm not going to order plants from them again! Do I look stupid!!??? (Don't answer that!)


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## gotcheaprice (Sep 4, 2007)

Well, they do sell equipment xD

And yea, first thing I would've done is straight to the bleach bath xD


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

gotcheaprice said:


> Well, they do sell equipment xD
> 
> And yea, first thing I would've done is straight to the bleach bath xD


(Apologies in advance!) The last time I tried the bleach bath my skin got all wrinkled and white looking.


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## sayshrimp (Nov 5, 2007)

Mine came with pretty big hydras.:crybaby: And I'm still fighting the battle. One came with green hydras and the other the regular white ones. Luckily I have more than one tank.


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## gotcheaprice (Sep 4, 2007)

hoppycalif said:


> (Apologies in advance!) The last time I tried the bleach bath my skin got all wrinkled and white looking.


Hmm, my skin got irritated  So I drained the tub and had to take a bath in excel :bathbaby:

Lol, I'm assuming that's what you mean xD


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

sayshrimp said:


> Mine came with pretty big hydras.:crybaby: And I'm still fighting the battle. One came with green hydras and the other the regular white ones. Luckily I have more than one tank.


Was that the same company AquaticMagic? You know we should put a sticky about the companies with which we have had horrid experiences so others won't have to go through it. I certainly wouldn't have bought from them if I'd know others had received a "bug bonus".

BTW, I asked again for my money back and they did refund the price of that particular moss. Unfortunately I received no punitive damages or awards for pain and suffering! :crybaby: :violin:


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## mikenas102 (Feb 8, 2006)

Wait isn't this sort of thing supposed to be noticed during inspections at customs? Oh wait that's right I forgot. Most foreign shippers do not abide by shipping laws and do not provide the proper phytosanitary certificates and make the proper declarations as required by law.


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

Well if its really a centipede, some of them are actually poisoness, more fatal than a rattlesnake! 
Boy, that never would have passed customs. Thats why customs inspects plants, to prevent the introduction of exotic insects. Now that you are totally freaked out,  pick it up with a pair of tweezers or tongs or something like that, even if its dead.


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## KenTheBugGuy (Jan 23, 2008)

puttyman70 said:


> Maybe you could catch it grow it out and sell it. Evidently there is a market for these things!
> 
> http://www.kenthebugguy.com/index.php?cPath=39&osCsid=1d9d40e3df142bf58c1ba22d59d0893b
> 
> ...


LOL! you know how many visits this link caused to my site? 45...one of the top links I have out there. I had to join this site just so I could comment on how amusing it was. Thanks for mentioning me


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## KenTheBugGuy (Jan 23, 2008)

Robert Hudson said:


> Well if its really a centipede, some of them are actually poisoness, more fatal than a rattlesnake!
> Boy, that never would have passed customs. Thats why customs inspects plants, to prevent the introduction of exotic insects. Now that you are totally freaked out,  pick it up with a pair of tweezers or tongs or something like that, even if its dead.


Most centipedes are not that poisonous..they can be but for the most part they are not deadly. The worst ones usually only give you cramps and make you sick.


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

But this was sent from Malaysia, isn't that where the wierd bugs are? I wouldn't want one to give me cramps either!  Even if not poisoness, I doubt the USDA would look kindly on it. Plants that are shipped legally into this country have no worries.


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

I TELL YOU - WE NEED A STICKY!!!!  Poisonous???!!! I thought you were just pulling my chain. OK I'm gonna burn the stupid dead moss!!! (Someone said leave it in there - it'll come back, I didn't know he meant the bug!)

[smilie=u: DONE!
[IMG]http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2179/2214725315_fe35317b3d.jpg[/IMG]


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## mikenas102 (Feb 8, 2006)

I doubt the thing is even in the moss anymore. For sure he's had plenty of time to make it into your bed and lay eggs by now. :spider::scared:


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

mikenas102 said:


> I doubt the thing is even in the moss anymore. For sure he's had plenty of time to make it into your bed and lay eggs by now.


You are just cruel! :fish:


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

> Most centipedes come out at night to hunt. Dependent on species and size they will eat anything from very small insects to small rodents, birds or even bats.


Better hide your pet parakeet!:bolt:


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Robert - You are baaddddd...... 

Just heard from Aquatic Magic - They have apologized!... and assured me that it was their common black centipede - completely harmless. (Heavy relieved sigh!) They even offered to re-send other goods I might like. That was nice! I think I will ask for one of their 99 cent nano diffusers (no plants please)! Those diffusers are nice.


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## mikenas102 (Feb 8, 2006)

Those 99 cent nano diffusors are great. One of the best bargains in the hobby.


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