Is it a mantis shrimp?

[HisCreatures]

I recently moved from a 55 Gallon tank to a 125 Gallon tank. I moved the majority of the live rock initially and found as I was adding the fish that a small shrimp like creature crawling along the rocks. It's from .50" to 1" and black in color. It has a long body and looks as though it has protruding green type of eyes as seen on mantis shrimp. Can anyone tell me if I have one? I tried to get a picture, but it knows when I am looking/watching and hides away. I haven't added new live rock in over a year, so I am guessing that it has been there for a while.

 

[Mr.Marls]

Any chance you can get a pic of that thing?

 

[HisCreatures]

No picture yet, it hides when i get close, and now with fish in the tank it doesn't come out.

 

[Mr.Marls]

Sounds like it could very well be then.


Good luck,

 

[DanInSD]

Even if it is a mantis, it's probably one of the small ones (like a Haptosquilla) that won't harm much of anything. Enjoy!

 

[justinl]

at .5-1 inch and under these things almost never turn out to be mantids. try to get a pic. do you know what mantids look like? does yours have the bulky smashing/spearing arms?

 

[Hutton]

I have seen plenty of hitch hicker mantis shrimp from .5-1 inch in length, i have 1 that is about an inch long. the black color sounds like a smaller species that wont do any harm.