Hi everyone,
I’m looking for advice on two of my MTU beetle larvae that have suddenly lost a significant amount of weight and developed an abnormality on their rear end.
I originally had a group of 16 larvae, all reared on good quality flake soil from a reliable seller with gammarus as a supplement. Most grew well, reached good weights, and successfully pupated. However, these two took a sudden downturn:
The male was the first to show a lump near his rear, and now I’ve noticed the same on the female. Neither has eaten for 2–3 months now, and they barely move in their containers. I cleaned the female with water to get a better look at the affected area, but I still can’t quite tell what’s happening.
Has anyone seen something like this before? My best guess is some kind of impaction - maybe they ingested a piece of sawdust that was too large to pass? They seemed completely healthy before this happened.
I’ll attach photos for reference. Any insights would be greatly appreciated. At this point, I’m seriously considering euthanasia, as it may be kinder than letting them slowly deteriorate.
Thanks in advance for any advice.
I’m looking for advice on two of my MTU beetle larvae that have suddenly lost a significant amount of weight and developed an abnormality on their rear end.
I originally had a group of 16 larvae, all reared on good quality flake soil from a reliable seller with gammarus as a supplement. Most grew well, reached good weights, and successfully pupated. However, these two took a sudden downturn:
- Male: Dropped from 39g to 24g in about 4 weeks.
- Female: Dropped from 29g to 20g in the same timeframe.
The male was the first to show a lump near his rear, and now I’ve noticed the same on the female. Neither has eaten for 2–3 months now, and they barely move in their containers. I cleaned the female with water to get a better look at the affected area, but I still can’t quite tell what’s happening.
Has anyone seen something like this before? My best guess is some kind of impaction - maybe they ingested a piece of sawdust that was too large to pass? They seemed completely healthy before this happened.
I’ll attach photos for reference. Any insights would be greatly appreciated. At this point, I’m seriously considering euthanasia, as it may be kinder than letting them slowly deteriorate.
Thanks in advance for any advice.
