RE: NANFA-- Battle of the Titans

Hoover, Jan J ERDC-EL-MS (HOOVERJ_at_wes.army.mil)
Mon, 4 Dec 2000 12:34:12 -0600

Rob -

Very interesting!

I've kept Cybister beetles before and had no problem with them attacking
fishes. They just fed on flakes or whatever food I was putting in for the
other tank inhabitants. Also, I've handled Cybister quite a few times in
the field and never had one bite, so I assumed that their predatory nature
was a little exaggerated.

My references list odonates, tadpoles, and fishes as foods for dytiscid
beetles. A turtle as prey is definitely out of the ordinary.

- Jan

>flurry of activity and found that a Predacious Diving Beetle (Cybister
spp.)
>that has inhabited the tank since the spring was attacking the turtle.
>
>When I got to work this morning, I found the turtle out in the open, dead.
>The carcass looked like it had been mauled by a pack of wolves. I never
>would have believed that the beetle could have been the culprit if I hadn't
>seen the beginning of the battle yesterday. Has anyone else ever witnessed
>anything like this?
>
>Rob Denkhaus
>Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge
>
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