Keeping water insects?

[oceandeku]

Hello. Iam new here and I know a few things about invertebrates. . . But Iam learning very fast. . . So I wish to start a hobby on keeping some type of insects. . .I was thinking of getting some sort of water insect. But I heard that they only last about a year or two, depending. I also heard there are other types of water insects that last longer. I want to know all types of water invertebrates other than the shrimps/crayfish and such.

I wanted and still want something like a diving beetle or a water bug(toe biter) but I dont know where to find any where I live. Stores that sell invertebrates tried selling me madagascan hissing roaches and they looked cute. But I couldnt my mother would freak out and besides they were in bad shape. I would rather it'd being something simpler to keep, something for begginers.

I already know my way around aquariums and terrariums, because I have toads and a turtle and fish. But I was recently given a ten gallon tank. So I went and got some sand and then went to a creek near me and found some water plants and gravel. Just so it can cycle it(the creek is very healthy and untouched by polution and such). So I have a good filter and a spare heater if I need it, I have an aquarium "wall of bubbles" to keep the aquarium well aeriated. I can make the filter so theres not a fast current. Its getting cycled and such and Iam starting to add some beneficial snails. But now the question is what are my choices in keeping a begginer water invertebrate?
I like diving beetles
Toe bitters
Water scorpion
Water spiders and such.
But I live in NJ so I dont know where to find most water insects other than the pond skaters, crane fly larvae, scuds, and crayfish. So I want to know if theres anywhere were I can find them.

Please and thank you.

 

[NoS]

Sounds interesting. I would like to know more about what you find out.

 

[beetleman]

diving beetles rock!! some can live up 3-4 years,very weedy swamps,lot's plants in there,just get a good sized net and go dippin,also at night by some gas stations in springtime they are flying about by those huge lights,you definitly have some big diving beetles where you are. but check those weed choked ponds/swamps they are in there,good luck.

 

[Miss Bianca]

Good luck in your searches,
your project sounds awesome!

 

[Memento]

I've kept giant water bugs and water scorpions. Very easy to take care of, just mind your fingers

Mine were fed mainly crickets and the occasional small feeder fish. I usually kept the water pretty still, planted the tanks with various local pond weeds and floaters, and added some pond scavengers like aquatic isopods and daphnia to keep things clean. Make sure you have a good lid - these bugs can and will escape otherwise (I had dry places in the water bug tanks for them to crawl out, which they occasionally did). You don't really need additional aeration either, since they breathe air, and mine were always bothered by too much motion caused by airstone bubbles.

The ponds at golf and mini-putt courses are good places for aquatic bugs, or backyard pools around this time of year before people open them for the season. If you can't find those though, pretty much any slow-moving or still, weedy water area will have something in it. Just take a big aquarium fishnet with you and run it through the weeds. You can also try taking a white sheet into your backyard at night and shining a bright light on it - good way to attract a lot of bugs, including water bugs if there happen to be any flying by.