# Leeches and my other pets



## MTA (Apr 20, 2017)

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						Hirudo nipponia
					



 Hirudo nipponia this species sucks blood.













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						Whitmania pigra
					



 Whitmania pigra eats snails, and prefers ones without operculums













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						Whitmania edentula
					



  Whitmania edentula eats same stuff as W. Pigra













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						Erpobdella?
					



Erpobdella probably, they scavenge dead animals and eat other invertebrates













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						Orobdella sp.
					



Orobdella sp. Eats earthworms













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						Pomacea canaliculata
					



Pomacea canaliculata, channeled apple snail 













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						Hydrophilus acuminatus eating sweet potato
					



Hydrophilus acuminatus eating sweet potato

Reactions: Like 8 | Love 2


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## RTTB (Apr 20, 2017)

A leech collection. That's really cool. What kind of enclosures do you use for them?

Reactions: Like 1


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## basin79 (Apr 20, 2017)

I love leeches. Would love to own a predatory one.

Reactions: Like 1


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## MTA (Apr 20, 2017)

RTTB said:


> A leech collection. That's really cool. What kind of enclosures do you use for them?


 Thank you, I keep the Hirudo nipponia and Whitmania pigra in plastic animal cages with a few inches of water with container of moss for them to lay their cocoons in. The other aquatics just live in deli cups with some water, I put pantyhose over all the aquatic containers so there is ventilation and so they can't escape. The Orobdella have a layer of soil, a piece of wood to hide under and some moss on top.


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## Umbra (Apr 20, 2017)

Nice leeches! I've kept a few species myself, most have been predators on small aquatic oligochaetes and scavengers.


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## Salmonsaladsandwich (Apr 20, 2017)

Neat collection.

I've tried to keep _Macrobdella decora _(a beautiful species that I believe to be a mimic of toxic newts) but they don't seem to readily feed on human blood in captivity and I can't stomach feeding them their preferred prey, living amphibians.


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## Umbra (Apr 20, 2017)

Salmonsaladsandwich said:


> Neat collection.
> 
> I've tried to keep _Macrobdella decora _(a beautiful species that I believe to be a mimic of toxic newts) but they don't seem to readily feed on human blood in captivity and I can't stomach feeding them their preferred prey, living amphibians.


I've kept this species as well and they've taken feeder fish, live or freshly killed.

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## MTA (Apr 21, 2017)

Video of how Orobdella eats.

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## basin79 (Apr 21, 2017)

MTA said:


> Video of how Orobdella eats.


Fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. Are there are leeches that prey on insects? I'm guessing not as they'd not be the easiest thing for them to catch but it'd be phenomenal if there is.

Reactions: Like 1


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## MTA (Apr 21, 2017)

basin79 said:


> Fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. Are there are leeches that prey on insects? I'm guessing not as they'd not be the easiest thing for them to catch but it'd be phenomenal if there is.


 I don't think there are any leeches that eat insects, but there are terrestrial nemerteans that do.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## Belegnole (Apr 21, 2017)

Interesting, I don't believe that I have ever considered keeping leaches as pets. Unfortunately I have spent a lot of time having to remove them and considering them as pests. I can definitely see the draw of keeping them as they are interesting and unique.


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## Ratmosphere (Apr 21, 2017)

Never heard of anyone keeping leeches before! This is pretty interesting!

Reactions: Like 1


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## EulersK (Apr 21, 2017)

I have to ask. For the one that sucks blood... do you let it feed on you?  If not, then how to you feed it?


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## MTA (Apr 21, 2017)

Sometimes I let them feed on me I also fill up a sausage casing with warm pig blood and give that to them, they don't always eat off of that though.

Reactions: Like 1


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## MTA (Apr 27, 2017)

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						Hydrophilus acuminatus eggcase
					



Hydrophilus acuminatus, or water scavenger beetles made an eggcase last night. The tube is so the eggs get air.

Reactions: Like 2


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## lovebugfarm (Apr 27, 2017)

Ok way cool so do the leeches breed for you in captivity? Are they communal? Is there one that reproduces faster then the others? Which would be the best for handling? I might have leeches in my collection soon....


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## MTA (Apr 28, 2017)

lovebugfarm said:


> Ok way cool so do the leeches breed for you in captivity? Are they communal? Is there one that reproduces faster then the others? Which would be the best for handling? I might have leeches in my collection soon....


I've bred a Glossiphonia sp, thats about it, but some of my others have a light band around behind their heads which means they could create cocoons soon. Most aren't that communal, they ignore eachother, but some will group together. I'm not sure about reproductive rates, leeches usually create plenty of cocoons though. Leeches usually don't enjoy being handled but larger ones probably would mind less.


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## Spidermolt (Apr 28, 2017)

MTA said:


> Sometimes I let them feed on me I also fill up a sausage casing with warm pig blood and give that to them, they don't always eat off of that though.


Where do you get the leeches and pig blood from?


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## MTA (Apr 28, 2017)

I got leeches from a lotus pond and a nearby park, the pig blood I just got from the grocery store in the frozen meat section, like where the turkey is.

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## lovebugfarm (Apr 28, 2017)

Do Erpobdella hunt living inverts or do you give them fresh killed insects? Where did you get the orobdella? Those only eat earthworms right and get fairly large they wouldn't bite a person would they?...Would they bite out of defensiveness even if they don't drink blood? If there isn't someone to buy them from what is the best way to make a leech trap?


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## Galapoheros (Apr 28, 2017)

That's cool!  People that are interested, go to youtube and type in "giant leech eats worm".  This vid first got me interested  



  but good luck getting those to the US right, I'm pretty sure they would not be allowed here.


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## VolkswagenBug (Apr 28, 2017)

Does it hurt when the _Hirudo _drinks from you?


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## MTA (Apr 29, 2017)

lovebugfarm said:


> Do Erpobdella hunt living inverts or do you give them fresh killed insects? Where did you get the orobdella? Those only eat earthworms right and get fairly large they wouldn't bite a person would they?...Would they bite out of defensiveness even if they don't drink blood? If there isn't someone to buy them from what is the best way to make a leech trap?


Erpobdella can hunt small squishy inverts like small worms but I just give them chopped up earthworms, bloodworms, and sometimes fresh killed insects. I got the Orobdella on Jindo Island, Korea, they are toothless, and I don't think any leeches bite defensively. You could make a leech trap by taking a container, putting plenty of 1 inch holes, and putting some chicken heart, you will probably only attract scavenging leeches like Erpobdella. If you live in Eastern USA you could try wading around in the water for the blood sucking leech Macrobdella decora.


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## MTA (Apr 29, 2017)

VolkswagenBug said:


> Does it hurt when the _Hirudo _drinks from you?


Sometimes it feels like a tiny razor is cutting you, but It's usually painless.

Reactions: Like 1


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## VolkswagenBug (Apr 29, 2017)

Ooh, I definitely wouldn't want to do that.


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## MTA (Apr 29, 2017)

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						Haemopis sp
					



Haemopis sp













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						Ambigolimax valentianus
					



Ambigolimax valentianus













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						Acusta despecta
					



Acusta despecta













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						Achatina fulica
					



Achatina fulica













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						Phaedusa paviei
					



Phaedusa paviei













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						Radix sp
					



Radix sp













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						Semisulcospira libertina
					



Semisulcospira libertina













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						Pomacea canaliculata eggs
					



Pomacea canaliculata eggs













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						Allomyrina dichotoma eggs
					



Allomyrina dichotoma eggs













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						Allomyrina dichotoma pair
					



Allomyrina dichotoma pair













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						Cetonia sp larva
					



Cetonia sp larva













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						Cetonia sp
					



Cetonia sp adult













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						Plesiophthalmus nigrocyaneus larva
					



Plesiophthalmus nigrocyaneus













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						Unknown darkling beetle
					



Unknown darkling beetle, their larvae are like plesiophthalmus but stockier and orangish













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						Unknown darkling beetle
					



Another unknown darkling beetle













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						Unknown darkling larva
					



The beetle above as a larva, it ate white rotten wood













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__ Apr 29, 2017



						Graphoderus adamsi
					



Graphoderus adamsi

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## MTA (Apr 30, 2017)

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						Hirudo nipponia cocoon
					



The Hirudo nipponia laid a cocoon!

Reactions: Like 1


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## MTA (May 4, 2017)

2 Hydrophilus acuminatus eggcases hatched a couple days ago and now I have around 80 larvae.
Here are some













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__ May 4, 2017



						Hydrophilus acuminatus larvae
					
















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						Hydrophilus acuminatus larva eating a snail
					



 Here is one eating a bladder snail. Has anyone ever kept these before? I am giving them bladder and baby apple snails daily, and changing water daily as well. I know once the larvae are ready to pupate they crawl on land and make a pupal cell in dirt.


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## Hisserdude (May 4, 2017)

MTA said:


> 20170429_132516
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Love those _Plesiophthalmus_, are they still breeding well for you?


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## MTA (May 5, 2017)

Hisserdude said:


> Love those _Plesiophthalmus_, are they still breeding well for you?


 My pair unfortunately died around 2 months after I got them last summer, but they gave around 50 larvae which are growing right now. I also think that the first unknown darkling beetle is a plesiophthalmus species too.

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## Hisserdude (May 5, 2017)

MTA said:


> My pair unfortunately died around 2 months after I got them last summer, but they gave around 50 larvae which are growing right now. I also think that the first unknown darkling beetle is a plesiophthalmus species too.


That's great, hope those larvae do well for you!  They need rotten wood for developing, right?


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## lovebugfarm (May 6, 2017)

Wow this is a great thread I wish I could offer insight into the beetles. I will however keep watching this thread and look forward to reading more of your posts thank you

Reactions: Like 1


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## MTA (May 6, 2017)

Hisserdude said:


> That's great, hope those larvae do well for you!  They need rotten wood for developing, right?


They might need rotten wood as they tunnel through it a lot and I also find them under the bark of dead wood in the wild but they eat dog food and squash too.


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## MTA (May 6, 2017)

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__ May 6, 2017



						Freshly laid Whitmania pigra cocoon
					



My Whitmania Pigra laid a cocoon a few days after i put them in a box with moss!!! The cocoon is very fresh.

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## Hisserdude (May 6, 2017)

MTA said:


> They might need rotten wood as they tunnel through it a lot and I also find them under the bark of dead wood in the wild but they eat dog food and squash too.


Good to know, thanks for the info!


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## MTA (May 8, 2017)

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						Hydrophilus acuminatus 2nd instar larva
					



One of my Hydrophilus acuminatus has molted to the 2nd Instar.

Reactions: Like 1


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## MTA (May 12, 2017)

I received 5 baby Hirudinaria manillensis today! Very excited to work with these as they are the 2nd largest leech in the world and get around 1 foot.













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						Baby Hirudinaria manillensis
					

















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						Baby Hirudinaria manillensis after being fed
					



Here they are after feeding













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__ May 12, 2017



						2nd instar Hydrophilus acuminatus larva
					



 Hydrophilus larvae are doing well too, the 2nd instars have grown. It seems they are doing well on pond, bladder, and apple snails.

Reactions: Love 1


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## MTA (May 21, 2017)

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__ May 21, 2017



						Leech cocoons
					



 Here are some leech cocoons. Left to right: Whitmania pigra, Hirudo nipponia, and probably Odontobdella blanchardi(the one that I thought was a haemopis sp.)













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__ May 21, 2017



						Baby Whitmania pigra
					



Here is a baby Whitmania pigra.













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__ May 21, 2017



						Hydrophilus acuminatus 3rd instar larva
					



 Some of the H. acuminatus larvae have reached 3rd instar.

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## basin79 (May 21, 2017)

MTA said:


> I received 5 baby Hirudinaria manillensis today! Very excited to work with these as they are the 2nd largest leech in the world and get around 1 foot.
> 
> 
> 
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A foot!!!!!!!!! That's impressive. Guessing they're blood suckers then?


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## schmiggle (May 21, 2017)

basin79 said:


> A foot!!!!!!!!! That's impressive. Guessing they're blood suckers then?


They are, but there are foot-long predatory leeches as well. 
Here is the Mt. Kinabalu giant red leech:





_Americobdella_, a superficially similar genus from southern Chile, gets to about 8", and is also predatory.

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## MTA (May 22, 2017)

One of the weirdest insects I've seen, she was found in the temple of Ta Prohm in Cambodia under a rotten log. She eats snails and slugs only. The females stay a larva for life and males look like a normal firefly.













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__ May 22, 2017



						Hirudo nipponia cocoons
					



 Also my Hirudo nipponia made 3 more cocoons (the bigger ones on top)

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## MTA (May 26, 2017)

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__ May 26, 2017
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						"Pregnant" Orobdella sp. eating a worm.
					



My biggest Orobdella sp. is "pregnant" I don't really know what the term for it is but leeches get this light band a few segments behind their heads before they lay cocoons.














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__ May 26, 2017
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						Hydrophilus acuminatus 3rd instar larva
					



 The Hydrophilus acuminatus larvae are getting very big now, they will probably pupate soon.

Reactions: Like 2


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## MTA (May 29, 2017)

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						Mystery beetle larvae
					



 Unidentified beetle larvae from Cambodia, I think they are either a darkling or click beetle larvae.














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__ May 29, 2017
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						Hemiplecta distincta
					



 Hemiplecta distincta


Here are some leeches I found in a rice paddy.














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__ May 29, 2017
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						Whitmania sp.
					



 A Whitmania sp., either W. edentula or W. laevis. 













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__ May 29, 2017



						Erpobdellid leech
					



 Unidentified Erpobdellid 













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__ May 29, 2017



						Barbronia sp.
					



 A Barbronia sp.

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## Hisserdude (May 29, 2017)

MTA said:


> 20170525_234845
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Neither, looks like they are larvae from the family Callirhipidae, we have a single species from the family in the US, and the larvae are very distinctive, see here.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## MTA (Jun 3, 2017)

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						Hirudinaria manillensis
					



 The Hirudinaria manillensis, a bloodsucking leech which I got on May 12th have had their 2nd meal now and the biggest one is almost 3 inches, they were a little less than an inch when I first got them.














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__ MTA
__ Jun 3, 2017



						Color variation in Hirudo nipponia
					



 Here is some color variation in Hirudo nipponia, another bloodsucking leech. The paler ones were found in a muddy lotus pond with murky water, while the darker ones were found in a series of clear watered weedy ponds with lots of dead leaves.














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__ Jun 3, 2017
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						Whitmania pigra and probably Whitmania edentula, big ones are pigra
					



 Here are a comparison of 2 species of Whitmania leeches, the bigger ones are W. pigra, and the smaller ones are probably W. edentula.














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__ Jun 3, 2017



						Head of the leech Whitmania pigra, you can see its eyes
					



 Here is a close-up of the head region of a Whitmania pigra, it is easy to see the eyes on this species.

Reactions: Like 2


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## schmiggle (Jun 3, 2017)

Two questions. First, out of curiosity, what's a leech's lifespan like? And second, none of these eat worms, but do you house the Erpobdella together? I wonder if they would eat each other.

Amazing growth on the Hirudinaria.

Reactions: Like 1


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## MTA (Jun 3, 2017)

schmiggle said:


> Two questions. First, out of curiosity, what's a leech's lifespan like? And second, none of these eat worms, but do you house the Erpobdella together? I wonder if they would eat each other.
> 
> Amazing growth on the Hirudinaria.


Life span depends on the leech, Erpobdella obscura usually lives around 1 year they die after creating cocoons, another predatory leech, Haemopis probably lives a couple years.Hirudo is supposed to live to around 10 years, Hirudinaria apparently lives to 20 years but that sounds pretty far fetched. Erpobdella can be housed together but keep an eye on them when feeding, I had 2 try to eat part of a chopped worm and 1 of leeches started swallowing the other one since both were attached to the worm so I had to pull the other one out.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## MTA (Jun 8, 2017)

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__ Jun 7, 2017



						Hydaticus grammicus
					
















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						Hydaticus grammicus L1 larva
					



Hydaticus grammicus adult and L1 larva, they are pretty easy to keep and breed. These lay their eggs on floating plant roots and other stuff. Larvae aren't too hard too rear, mine are doing well on water fleas and tubiflex worms and have molted to l2.






 Here is a Whitmania pigra feeding on a juvenile Radix sp. snail.

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## darkness975 (Jun 10, 2017)

Salmonsaladsandwich said:


> they don't seem to readily feed on human blood in captivity


Does that mean you tried!!?? 

Interesting thread - was not aware that really anyone kept leeches.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Salmonsaladsandwich (Jun 11, 2017)

darkness975 said:


> Does that mean you tried!!??
> 
> Interesting thread - was not aware that really anyone kept leeches.


Well it's not like I had a supply of frozen bovine blood on hand or something.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I love the Lamprigera. Firefly larvae are so beautifully freaky with their little retractable heads and sickle mandibles.

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 1


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## MTA (Jun 11, 2017)

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__ Jun 11, 2017



						The aquarium for Whitmania pigra.
					



 Aquarium I keep my Whitmania pigra in, the styrofoam is for some diving beetles I keep in there to climb out of the water.














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__ Jun 11, 2017



						Set-up for my baby Hirudo nipponia
					



 I keep my baby leeches in delicups with some plants, these are baby Hirudo nipponia.














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__ Jun 11, 2017
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						Whitmania pigra being weird.
					



 Whitmania pigra being all scrunched up.














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						Whitmania pigra hiding in a shell
					



 Whitmania pigra hiding in a shell






Video of my female Lamprigera glowing













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__ Jun 11, 2017
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						Lamprigera sp.
					
















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__ Jun 11, 2017



						The thing that glows on the firefly, Lamprigera
					



 Here is a picture of her stretched out and a picture of her glowing organs.

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## schmiggle (Jun 11, 2017)

That shell appears to have a hole in it. It wasn't drilled by the _Whitmania_, was it?


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## MTA (Jun 11, 2017)

schmiggle said:


> That shell appears to have a hole in it. It wasn't drilled by the _Whitmania_, was it?


 No, i picked up the shell at a pond. Whitmania can't drill, it just sticks it's head into a snails shell and eats the meat.


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## MTA (Jun 14, 2017)

My Hydrophilus larvae pupated 2 days ago! 













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						Freshly molted Hydrophilus acuminatus pupa
					



 Here is a picture of it recently molted 














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						Hydrophilus acuminatus pupa
					



 Here is a picture of it today.














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__ Jun 14, 2017



						Baby Meghimatium sp.
					



 Baby Meghimatium sp., This slug is really different from other since it's mantle covers the whole body. They are growing well on squash and fishfood.














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__ Jun 14, 2017



						Sarasinula sp.
					



 Sarasinula sp., a kind of leatherleaf slug and this one was found in Cambodia.














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						A Whitmania pigra feeding
					



 Whitmania pigra feeding on an apple snail.













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						Moss for leeches
					



 I used to put my leeches in a tupperware container filled with moss when they were ready to create cocoons, but I put in some moss on styrofoam in my W. pigra aquarium to see if they would lay cocoons there.














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__ Jun 14, 2017



						Baby Whitmania pigra
					



 The baby W. pigra are growing well, they are now around 1cm. 













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__ Jun 14, 2017



						Baby Whitmania edentula or laevis
					



 Baby Whitmania edentula.













Hirudo nipponia - YouTube



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__ Jun 14, 2017
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						They do this waving motion to get more oxygen I think.
					



 Hirudo nipponia preforming the waving motion most leeches do, I think they do this to absorb breathe better since the movement circulates water around them.

Reactions: Like 1


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## scorps (Jun 14, 2017)

I've wanted to get leeches for a while. They seems super cool. Just don't know where to get them :/


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## MTA (Jun 14, 2017)

scorps said:


> I've wanted to get leeches for a while. They seems super cool. Just don't know where to get them :/


 This is a good place for Hirudo medicinalis: http://leeches.biz/
If you want Erpobdella obscura this is a good place for them: http://www.knutsonlivebait.com/leeches.html
There is also this guy in the Netherlands you can get Hirudinaria manillensis from, I've ordered from him and he shipped quick and the leeches were all alive upon arrival: https://m.facebook.com/Friedrichvan...l_objid.681955021991504:actrs.100004404340640


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## MTA (Jun 20, 2017)

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__ Jun 20, 2017



						Juvenile Hirudinaria manillensis
					



 I fed my Hirudinaria manillensis yesterday and they are getting huge, this species grows very quickly it seems.














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						Hirudinaria manillensis with quarter for scale
					



 This is my biggest H. manillensis with a quarter for scale.














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__ Jun 20, 2017



						Hirudo nipponia
					



 I also fed my pale Hirudo nipponia around week ago, and they are getting pretty big now, around 1 1/2-2 inches.














Whitmania pigra - YouTube



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__ Jun 20, 2017





 Whitmania pigra doing the waving motion, to help with respiration I think














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__ Jun 20, 2017



						2 Whitmania pigra eating the same snail
					



 2 W. Pigra eating the same snail, they usually don't do this.














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__ Jun 20, 2017



						Hydrophilus acuminatus pupa
					



The Hydrophilus acuminatus pupa is developing well and the beetle should emerge in a couple of days.

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## MTA (Jun 26, 2017)

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__ Jun 26, 2017
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						Hydrophilus acuminatus
					



 The _Hydrophilus acuminatus _pupa succesfully eclosed! I'm really happy about this, it is the first time I've reared an aquatic beetle from egg to adult, didn't get a picture of her freshly eclosed though, she is a couple days old in this picture.














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__ Jun 26, 2017



						Hirudinaria manillensis sleeping
					



 _Hirudinaria_ _manillensis_ sleeping, I've only seen this species sleep like this, not sure if my other species sleep.















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__ Jun 26, 2017



						Whitmania laevis and one W. acranulata
					



 Sometimes _Whitmania laevis_ I got from a rice paddy, along with a _Whitmania acranulata_. I have only found this genus in rice paddies so far.













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__ MTA
__ Jun 26, 2017



						Whitmania acranulata
					



 A closer picture of _Whitmania acranulata_.














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__ MTA
__ Jun 26, 2017



						Strangely colored Whitmania laevis
					



 This _Whitmania laevis _has a very different coloration. I wonder if it's albino, or something like that.














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__ MTA
__ Jun 26, 2017



						Whitmania laevis
					
















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__ MTA
__ Jun 26, 2017



						Whitmania laevis
					



 Some other _Whitmania laevis._














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__ MTA
__ Jun 26, 2017



						Whitmania laevis underside
					



 Ventral side of _Whitmania laevis._

Reactions: Like 1


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## schmiggle (Jun 26, 2017)

MTA said:


> _Hirudinaria_ _manillensis_ sleeping, I've only seen this species sleep like this, not sure if my other species sleep.


I'm almost positive they all do, sleep is pretty basic to the vast majority of bilaterian animals. Even C. elegans nematodes sleep.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## arachnoherp (Oct 10, 2017)

Have you kept the brightpy colored terrestrial species?


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## lovebugfarm (Oct 11, 2017)

Wanted to thank you again MTA for this thread. I was able to get some h manillensis from Friedrich very exciting. Hopefully we can get whitmania in the states one day


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## Andee (Oct 11, 2017)

I have actually fallen in love with the whitmania species pictured. Beautiful and funny species. I like leeches as a species that is beautifully adapted for what it needs to do to survive. I find that amazingly beautiful in animals. But I have never had any desire to keep them, until I saw the whitmania species.


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## Aye (Jan 3, 2018)

Any updates on your leeches and other invertebrates ?


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## MTA (Sep 30, 2018)

Sorry for not posting in this thread for a while, I've been busy with school, and i recently moved back into the US. Last year i went on a trip and when i returned the caretaker of my animals had not done a good job so some of my favorite animals like my whitmania and hirudinaria unfortunately passing away or escaping. This made my interest in keeping invertebrates diminish and i gave away most of my creatures save for my Hirudo nipponia and a few other creatures.

       Now that i'm in the states I currently only have Hirudo nipponia, an unknown erpobdellid leech, planarians, rhino beetles, and a group of eleodes sp. However I've started to gain interest again, and I hope to get some other species of invertebrates I could not get in Korea easily like hirudo verbana, or macrobdella decora, and i hope to raise giant silkmoths next year. I also have a tank set up for ribbon leeches i will hopefully receive next week.













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__ MTA
__ Sep 30, 2018



						Unknown erpobdellid
					



Unknown erpobdellid













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__ MTA
__ Sep 30, 2018



						Leech setup
					



Erpobdellid setup













Planaria feeding



__ MTA
__ Sep 30, 2018
__ 4





Planaria













Hirudo nipponia aquarium



__ MTA
__ Sep 30, 2018
__ 1





Hirudo nipponia













Leech aquarium



__ MTA
__ Sep 30, 2018
__ 2



						No leeches yet
					



Ribbon leech aquarium

Reactions: Like 6


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## watertiger21 (Oct 31, 2018)

Thank you so much for this thread! Many years ago I attempted to keep both leeches and planarians but failed. This has been very helpful!

Would you mind sharing a bit more on what you feed the planarians?

Reactions: Like 1


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## schmiggle (Oct 31, 2018)

Yay! Missed the post in September somehow. This is one of my favorite threads--non-arthropod invertebrates are so often under-appreciated--and I'm glad you're getting back into them.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## MTA (Oct 31, 2018)

watertiger21 said:


> Thank you so much for this thread! Many years ago I attempted to keep both leeches and planarians but failed. This has been very helpful!
> 
> Would you mind sharing a bit more on what you feed the planarians?


Theyll eat anything meaty like fish food geared towards carnivores, shrimp meat, bloodworms, but hey really enjoy eating cut open waxworms for some reason, they get real fat after they eat those.


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