Anybody who keep water boatmen?

[Insects4life]

Hello I'm just wondering if any body keeps these invertebrates, I see them in my pond all the time and look like cool pets.
Thanks for the help.

 

[Introvertebrate]

Peter Clausen has experimented with them:

Water Boatman Large 5 Pack - Bugs In Cyberspace

Water boatmen live in freshwater and suck the juices from plants, algae and decaying vegetation of various kinds. Algae typically grows in our various

bugsincyberspace.com

 

[Kada]

Are they the same as diving beetles? We have them come into our aquariums sometimes and they do quite well feeding on our shrimp etc until I can catch them...

 

[Insects4life]

Well there diet are completely different.
Water boatmen suck juices out of alage.
While diving beetles hunt small aquatic insects. And they both like to live in different parts of ponds and slow moving streams.

 

[Kada]

Cheers! Seems like I need to up my aquatic beetle education!!

The ones I have enter the house and get into the aquariums do indeed eat meat. I've watched them puck off shrimp, snails and even some of our fish. Made me realize that paludariums make it real hard to catch things. Required bait traps.

Boatmen...those sound pretty cool if they are vegan haha.

 

[Brewser]

Aquatic animals are amazing!
Water boatmen / Corixids get their common name from the Streamlined Body & Oarlike Rear Legs.
Trapped Air against the body allows for prolonged dives.