Question Water Stick Insect (Ranatra)

The first pic is of my old Ranatra (and my Toad Bug) from 1999 , the other pics are the juveniles i caught yesterday (9/2/22) near Creswick , within 2-3 hrs one had caught a back swimmer .

Today (12/2/22) i caught 3 larger water stick insects , the largest one is photographed here with a back swimmer on his underside , very risky !

Someone asked me the other day if water stick insects were cannibals , I said I didn't know but I do now !

Just put a heap of small water insects in the tank today 16/2/22 , this Ranatra is making the most of it , one in the mouth and one in the claw ready for the next course .

Put some Mosquito Fish in the tank today (19/2/22) , one of the Ranatra caught one in less than 15 seconds , the one next to it didn't care about the fish , it was too busy eating a large back swimmer .

I spotted 2 Back swimmers living dangerously this morning (20/2/22) .

Even a Creeping Water Bug (Saucer Bug) isn't safe !

Another Back Swimmer bites the dust .

Just resting and thinking about what to attack next .

I hadn't been able to get out for a few days because of the rain to get more water insects , this fish paid the price unfortunately .