Baby mantis or Large agressive pod?

[smcnally]

Could this possibly be a baby mantis? I thought it was some sort of pod and thought it was weird that it was the only one I've found that survived the interceptor treatment, but noticed it has a little burrow. What made me think it could be a baby mantis was when I noticed it's front appendages. They look like the arms of a spearer mantis, and I actually witnessed it zoom around like a mantis and rip a small feather duster out of its tube and eat it. If this is some sort of pod, it is on the large side and pretty damn aggressive.

 

[Pea-brain]

Is it's back always curled up like that? sounds like a mantis. If I were you I'd set up a small holding tank and feed suitable sized foods (enriched brine shrimp or pods for example) It takes nearly a year for a baby to grow 1" so you shouldn't worry about it killing fish or crabs or anything. But I am also new to saltwater and don't know too much about amphipods, copepods etc. etc. If it is always curled up like that though it looks like it could be a magnamius (sp?) shrimp....but I think I see characteristic big eyes and raptorial appendages.......

 

[Hutton]

Male amphipod, if it were a speaer mantis its arms would be like upside down praying mantis arms. the male amphipods have the large claws to hold onto mates.

 

[Ehudd]

Amphipod, good little things, go down well in a mandarin fish's stomach

 

[forrestp38829]

+1 Amphipod definately.

 

[smcnally]

Thanks everyone! Must be one strong little bugger to live through a 7 hour interceptor treatment

 

[justinl]

maybe you've created a new mutant super pod! that'd be cool.