What's in my "pond"

[ExiledWool]

Last summer, I turned half a busted plastic water butt into a mini pond. Sunk into the ground and lined with butyl.

Lots of mozzies last year as it was filled with rain water, and so far it is still only rain water. Anyway, gave it a clean tonight to get rid of leaves and things. After I'd finished, I noticed something resembling worm, about 2-3 inches long swimming around.

Is it simply a flat worm, or could it be a leech, or could it be something else?

[galanthus]

probably a leech of sorts Exiled...........unless of course it's dead , in which case was probably an unfortunate worm ............just noticed you said it was swimming around, ergo not dead soz lol

[Hedge Witch]

Leeches have a beautiful and distinctive way of swimming through open water:



This diagram shows their movement much better than I can describe it. It certainly sounds like a leech, but did it swim like this?

[ExiledWool]

Looks a good description hedge - I'll try and photograph it, or video it

[monkeypoo]

I can't work that diagram out I've not seen a Leech for a long time and when I did they were always stuck to a Stickleback. But I imagine them swimming in a ripple effect like when people do that dance move with their arms and pass it on to someone else!

[Hedge Witch]

YouTube - leeches.mp4

Gives some idea of the way they swim

[monkeypoo]

That's pretty much how I imagined except they are so fast, like they have jet propulsion!