Water Stick Insect

Water Stick Insect key facts

Care level

Intermediate

Lifespan

Adults 8 months to 1 year

Size

40-50mm

Diet

Small fish, tadpoles, aquatic insects and other live prey

Temperature & Humidity

It breathes by raising the tip of its tube to the surface, so plants or dead twigs reaching the surface must always be provided. From about November it overwinters as an adult in cover on the bottom.

Breeding & Egg-laying

Adults become active around April, mate from May to July and the female lays alone. She chooses damp, soft places on land such as moss and pushes the tip of her abdomen in repeatedly. The slender white egg carries two filaments at its tip, thought to help it breathe. The larvae hatch in about ten days, moult roughly five times and reach adulthood in about forty days.

Cohabitation

It is predatory and reacts to anything small that moves, so housed together they will eat one another. Larvae in particular are safer kept separately, and it should not be put with fish or shrimp, which it will treat as prey.

Lifespan & Rearing Period

The larval period is short, about forty days, and because it overwinters as an adult it lives from one year into the next. Digestion is slow and a large prey item can occupy it for more than fifteen hours, so feedings need not be frequent.

Health & Notes

It flies well and will escape from an uncovered container. It is sensitive to pesticides and is listed as critically endangered in Nagasaki Prefecture and near threatened in Fukuoka Prefecture. Keep collecting to a minimum and do not release captive stock into other waters.

About Water Stick Insect

The water stick insect is an aquatic true bug with mantis-like forelegs and a long breathing tube, reaching 40-50mm as an adult. Suited to keepers with some experience, it offers a fascinating ambush-hunting behavior to observe.

7 things to know before welcoming a Water Stick Insect

1. 1Slender Body and Breathing Tube

   Adults have a slender body reaching about 40-50mm, paired with a breathing tube nearly as long as the body itself. Since they extend this tube to the water's surface to breathe, an environment with plants or perches to grip onto is essential.

2. 2Prefers Still Water

   They favor calm, still water rather than strong currents, so keep water movement in the tank minimal. Provide plenty of aquatic plants to serve as hiding spots and footholds for breathing.

3. 3Ambush Hunter with Grasping Forelegs

   Using mantis-like grasping forelegs, they quickly seize small creatures that come within reach. They spend much of their time motionless in ambush rather than actively swimming around.

4. 4Strong Flying Ability

   Among aquatic true bugs, this species has notably strong flight ability and often takes flight during the day to move around. A secure lid on the enclosure is necessary to prevent escapes.

5. 5Live Food is the Basic Diet

   They prefer live, moving prey such as mosquito larvae and small crustaceans, and rarely take to artificial food. Be prepared for the extra effort involved in securing and managing a steady live food supply.

6. 6Importance of Water Quality

   As an aquatic insect, water quality management is important. Regular water changes and removing surface debris or film that could clog the breathing tube are necessary maintenance tasks.

7. 7Preparation Before Bringing One Home

   This species is considered suited to keepers with some experience, requiring simultaneous attention to water quality, water flow, and live food supply. It's recommended to set up the enclosure fully before bringing one home.

Frequently asked questions about Water Stick Insect

Q.Can beginners keep a water stick insect?

A.The water stick insect is considered suited to keepers with some experience. It requires ongoing water quality management and a steady live food supply, so prior experience with aquatic insects is helpful.

Q.Will it eat artificial food?

A.Water stick insects tend to prefer live, moving prey and generally don't take well to artificial food. You'll need to provide live food such as mosquito larvae.

Q.Can it escape from the enclosure?

A.Water stick insects have notably strong flight ability among aquatic true bugs and may fly during the day. A secure lid on the enclosure is important to prevent escapes.

Q.What kind of tank setup suits it best?

A.They prefer still water with minimal current, so a tank with gentle or no water flow is ideal. Add plenty of aquatic plants to give them footholds for extending their breathing tube to the surface.

Q.How big does an adult get?

A.Adults reach approximately 40-50mm in body length. Combined with its long breathing tube, its slender form can appear even longer than the body size alone suggests.

Useful tools for Water Stick Insect care

Learn more about Water Stick Insect in the encyclopedia

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