Shrimp ID

[PhysicsMunkey]

Hey guys, I was wondering if anyone could help me out with an ID of a little shrimp I found in my tank today. I was in the process of transferring the corals from one tank to another. I picked up my Galaxy coral and right before I placed it in the water of my new tank I heard a "clicking" noise, almost like someone was cracking their knuckles. I looked at the coral and hanging on the the very edge of it was a little shrimp, maybe 3/4 of an inch. The noise came from his claws when he would close them. I quickly isolated the coral in a tupperware and waited for about an hour for the little shrimp to leave the safety of the coral and then quickly took the coral out of the container.

I have the little shrimp alone in the bowl where I can get a better look at him. He walks around with his tail curled up, but stretched out he'd probably be about an inch. He is a clear to tan color - so much so that he blended in with the pink "skin" of the galaxy coral. His claws are kind of club shaped, but he hasn't been making the clicking noise any more.

Any ideas what this critter is? I'm pretty sure I don't want him in my tank...something about his look just screams trouble.

Thanks for the help!

-Dana

 

[bmiller1234]

Sure sounds like a mantis, you can see if LFS wants it if not do not put it back in tank, they are mean horrible little creatures...One punched a hole thru the glass of a display tank at some big aquarium, someone in club had one that would blow the baffles out of his sump

 

[raynist]

How about a picture?

 

[brettnleslie]

Any chance it is a Pistol Shrimp? A picture would help.

 

[NaClH2Opgh]

If it made the sound while it was out of the water I would say it was a pistol shrimp. I could be wrong but I thought the mantis made sounds by smashing on the bottom of the aquarium. With a pistol shrimp it would sound like cracking knuckles out of the water and more like 22 going off in the water. I have a pistol shrimp and it sounds like the glass on the aquarium is going to shatter. A picture would help since your are describing the claws as clubs and some mantis have those.

 

[PhysicsMunkey]

I'll try and get a picture for you guys tomorrow. I looked up both the pistol shrimp and the mantis online and honestly it sort of looks like both. Either way I am NOT putting the little guy back in the tank.

You just made me think of something though. The tank that he was originally hiding in was downstairs in the basement. At night we would hear this loud popping sound and my dad and I kept trying to figure out what it was. Since the tank is adjacent to the wall that the hot water tank is on we just figured the popping was coming from the hot water tank. I wonder if that noise has been the shrimp all along???

 

[cloakerpoked]

That could be a mantis. If he is, you should see the front "arms" that fold on themselves, a lot like a Preying Mantis looks like. That's where they get their names from. They can be incredibly fascinating specimens to keep in a specialty tank, just be careful not to put them with fish you care about, because they'll kill them in no time. I kept a Peacock Mantis Shrimp for about 2 years, and she was still my favorite animal to keep. She'd kick the crap out of the goldfish I fed her. There are two types of mantis shrimps...spearers and bashers. Those usually describe the front legs, which are either in a club shape, or a spear shape. If it's clicking in your tank, it would be the basher type. It wouldn't necessarily be as colorful as the pics you might have seen. Try looking for "brown mantis shrimp" in google or something, since the peacocks are a lot more beautiful in color, they tend to monopolize searches.

 

[Stray32]

Pistol or Mantis. Either way, that's a pretty neat hitchhiker, can't wait to see a pic.

 

[brettnleslie]

Try searching for "Tiger Pistol Shrimp". They do tend to be hichikers.

I have several of them in different tanks. They make a sound like snapping your fingers. They are very neat to have along with a Watchman's Goby.

Mine snap a lot during feeding time as well.

Good luck.

 

[acer]

If it is a pistol - good shrimp to have. They stir up your sand and will make "friends " with a few types of Gobi = neat to watch them together. My pistol shrimp died about a year ago and my Gobi is lonely.

 

[PhysicsMunkey]

I promise I'll get a picture for you. I am at work now. I checked on him last night and hes still hanging out in the tupperware. I get off at 4 pm. Try and get a picture then.

 

[PhysicsMunkey]

Sorry guys, apparently the little shrimp died today and my dad just threw him out before I could get a good picture of it. After watching videos on YouTube at work today though I found a video of a baby pistol shrimp that looked to be its twin. What a pity! It was a good shrimp too. Well, probably better safe than sorry, I would have hated if something would have happened to my clown fish! Thanks for all your help with the ID though.