I think I have one

[kbaker721]

I just bought some zooanthids at my lfs. It was on a piece of live rock - when I got it home and put it in the tank, I saw a little black "creature" in one of the crevices. I immediately thought it was a mantis shrimp. It is pretty small from what I can tell (quarter to half and inch). It is black, two eyes on stalks, it has white stripes on the "antanaes" on the front of it. Its body is black although it looks like it has white dots on its back. It really hasn't come out of its hole, it just shot out a couple times to catch a piece of food after I fed the fish. It just pops its head out of the hole.

Now I just got this piece of rock tonight, and am wondering what I should do. Obviously I am sure most on this forum are fans of these guys, but I don't want anything that could jeopardize my tank (fish, inverts, corals, etc).

So here are my questions - do you think this is a mantis shrimp - if so what kind? What should I do about this (I don't want to risk anything in my tank!)? And, if possible, how do I get rid of it??

Thanks for the help!!

 

[Hutton]

sounds like one of the smaller species. i think it is called a hemisquilla? wont hurt fish, maybe you can set up a specie stank for it... to get it out, you could use a bottle, cut the top of, invert it and glue to the inside of the bottle with a reef safe adhesive. put in some food and you should catch him.

 

[Hutton]

this little guy sound like what you have.

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthro...raca/royslist/species.php?name=h_glyptocercus

 

[kbaker721]

Yeah that description sounds like him (from what I can tell so far). So you think my best be is to just leave him be for now...

 

[Hutton]

yup the most he will hurt he could hurt when full grown is small hermits and snails, and when i say small i mean small.