Lobster like creature ID please

[toddw]

I was hunting a mantis shrimp in my tank this evening. I believe I got him with a poker in a hole. Fresh water and club soda would not dislodge him so I did it the old fashioned way.

I also dislodged this little guy as well. Approx 4mm in length. The shape looks more like a lobster to me than a shrimp. It has brown bands running across its tail and black bands on the end of the tail. Body is transluscent Eyes are on the sides of the head not up on stalks. Does not have large claws on on front legs.

Don't know if I should put him back in the tank or get rid of him.

Anyone know what this is? Is it reef safe?

 

[TheH]

4mm (0.15") or 4cm (1.6")?

 

[toddw]

Actually closer to 14-17mm in length.

 

[Koshmar]

Sounds a little like a ghost shrimp. I'm not saying that's what it is, I'm no marine biologist, but that's what it reminds me of.
Btw what did you do to the mantis? I hope you didn't kill it... pinche.

 

[toddw]

I don't think it is a ghost shrimp. The color is wrong and the body shape does not match the pics of those on google.

The pinche mantis is available if you want him! He ate my cleaner shrimp and some hermits before I found him. His identity I was certain. Saw him and heard him up close and personal. I was not going to let him hang out.

 

[Koshmar]

You should go over to mantis shrimp forum and post that you have one along with a pic. You'll get paid for your pinche langusta problem. If no one takes him from that forum, I'll pay for it and you can send it to me. I can give it a good home.
If the unidentified creature stays small it will probably just scurry around for food. Shouldn't really be that much of a problem but I have no idea what type of lobster/shrimp it is. For all I know it could shoot lazers out of its eyes or something. I'd just isolate it until TheH helps you out, he's/she's a lot more informed than I.

 

[troyman]

i killed 3 in my tank they aint gonna eat my fish

 

[Koshmar]

Please don't ever kill a mantis shrimp. There are people that will pay you for them. It's not the mantis' fault that it was taken from the ocean and popped into your tank. Not only that but the type of mantises that hitch-hike in live rock usually leave fish alone and stay small. Their reputation for killing all living things is vastly overblown.

 

[iamwhatiam52]

Your little guy looks like a pistol shrimp except it doesn't seem to have a large snapping claw.

 

[philter4]

I don't know the scientific name, but here in FL there is a common shrimp called a scorpion shrimp. the photo looks a lot like that, I would guess that if it is different it is very closely related. Even though they are called scorpion shrimp, they are not dangerous, or venomous, or anything like that, but when they walk they hold the tail up sort of like a scorpion, so that is how they get the name.

As far as reef safe, the scorpion shrimp from here is as safe as any of the small reef lobster we keep in tanks, they may eat a small fish, will go after other small shrimp or lobsters, usually do not bother corals, but they might bother feather dusters or starfish, things they can overpower and eat. They don't get very big so you don't have to worry about them destroying your rock work, but they do dig so they may topple any structure that isn't stable. They are nocternal so you will hardly ever see it, but they are interesting if you don't have anything that will bother them.