help ID this nocturnal invert

[VeriasCurat]

Was double checking on the tank before bed and my girlfriend spotted this guy hanging out under some rock and foraging for food. I assume it's nocturnal as all the lights were out and it hid when they came up. The pictures aren't the best but it looks to be maybe 2 cm long, lots of antennae on the front and to us looks like some kind of shrimp. Opinions please sorry for picture size uploading from mobile..

 

[hotelbravo]

Hard to tell but to me it looks like a large amphipod

 

[OllieDog]

Hard to tell but to me it looks like a large amphipod

yep

 

[VeriasCurat]

Hard to tell but to me it looks like a large amphipod

Ahhh ok. I'm sorry the pictures suck it was hard to get a good one because he was scuttling around. I assume that's harmless?

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

Harmless and beneficial.

 

[Betta132]

Yep. You need those, they're scavengers, and they're great fish food.

 

[VeriasCurat]

Yep. You need those, they're scavengers, and they're great fish food.

Awesome good to know! I turned out my lights and used s flashlight to examine the rocks and such and saw a couple,of these as well as little tiny (appeared to be red, could've been the rock behind them) little specs like copepods which is awesome

Now just to find the 2 brittlestars I spotted the other day which have gone into hiding.

 

[Betta132]

Brittlestars are no concern unless they're dark green. If they start getting big, you may want to offer them occasional pieces of meaty food. If they're 1-3 inches across and pale with dark bands on their arms, they're most likely micro-brittles. Micro-brittles are small and tuck into holes, then just sit there and reach out with their arms to grab food. They breed pretty fast. If you see one or two, you probably have lots more.

 

[VeriasCurat]

Brittlestars are no concern unless they're dark green. If they start getting big, you may want to offer them occasional pieces of meaty food. If they're 1-3 inches across and pale with dark bands on their arms, they're most likely micro-brittles. Micro-brittles are small and tuck into holes, then just sit there and reach out with their arms to grab food. They breed pretty fast. If you see one or two, you probably have lots more.

They came in with a brick of zoas. I bought...there's a green one with white bands..and red one with white bands. I pulled them off the Zoa and moved them...but I saw more legs on there so I don't know if they went back or what lol