I've just fed my fish and have spotted an insect in my tank sitting on top of some Salvinia. It's definitely alive as it moved but I have no idea what it is, and whether I should remove it or just leave it be?

It's about 2cm long with a very thin body, wings, and bug eyes on either side of its head.

Any advice would be appreciated.

It looks like a damsel fly, is it like a dragon fly but smaller? It's a bit hard to see its wings in that picture. I'm not sure whether they hibernate or just lay their eggs and die off. It might have done so in your tank so keep an eye out for larva.

ETA- having had a closer look, it looks like there is a larva case next to it lying on the salvinia so maybe it has just emerged.

So I'm guessing that removing it from the tank would be the best thing to do? It's freaking me out a little bit - and I don't want to touch it!

Will any larvae be harmful to the fish? I haven't spotted anything else and I imagine my clown loaches would eat anything insect-like.

Fizz

I took it out - yuk. Not so great with insects and things....

Aw, I think damsel flies are sweet they have a cute little expression on their faces.

Larva can be harmful to fish, dragon fly larva especially as they will eat smaller fish, but you are correct in your assumption about your clown loaches I'm surprised this one survived!

Yes - it did do well to survive! I put it on the rim of my birdbath. Although dragon flies don't do well in my garden as a rule due to my cats