Help with shrimp identification!

[cholland]

I received a shipment of live rocks from fiji last week, and I was pleasantly surprised to discover a shrimp-stow-away. But I was wondering what kind he is...
He wasn't terribly photogenic, as he hid his head. I'll try and get better pictures later...
(I have much better resolution photos I can email you if you need them blown up)
Thanks

 

[cholland]

2

 

[cholland]

3f

 

[krowleey]

hard to tell, have u seen a mantis shrimp before? search for it see if it fits the profile. i just cant get a good enough look at it but from the tail im thinking mantis and they are not desirable in a reef tank or a community tank with peacful fish.

 

[cholland]

That was my first thought too. But I looked at the pictures of the mantis on this board yesterday. The body structure looks somewhat similiar. I don't see any claws or mantis like forelimbs. Also the coloration is different from the one I've seen on this board. I haven't found another picture of a mantis to compare to.
Thanks for the reply

 

[saltyj]

If your not sure get him out and maybe QT him, you will be sorry later if you have to pull all your rock out to find him. Just my .02

 

[lestregus]

mantis come in all colors... the one that you see the pics of here is a peacock mantis - the most colorful. it also could be a pistol shrimp..

 

[cholland]

Salty
I would love to do that, but don't have a QT tank.
Lestregus
I suspected that it could just be another type of mantis. That's why coloration is different. And the fact that it is kinda small.
But I am still not sure....:notsure:

 

[cholland]

Lestregus
I just looked at some pictures of pistol shrimp. And mine is no where close. My critter doesn't have any claws like that at all. His forelegs are tucked up under his head.
Thanks for reply though.

 

[reefnoob]

I'm with Salty on this man, if I see something that I cannot ID and I can get it out.. I do.. I'd rather loose something I don't know and have it turn out to be harmless than have something that will cost me a furtune down the road because it turns out to be very harmful.

 

[fishtails]

His forelegs are tucked up under his head.
IF indeed his forelegs are under his head, I am sure it's a mantis. They're the only other shrimp other than the pistol shrimp whose forelegs are under their heads( Someone help me here ). Do you hear any popping noises at night? Also, have you seen his eyes, that might help you differ it from a pistol or mantis.
Alex

 

[cholland]

Fishtails
Yes, I have seen his eyes. They are like little bulbs on stalks..
We just could not get him to cooperate for the camera.
I have not heard anything at night. I have not seen him come out of his rock at night. The rock is up on some more rocks kind of midway up in the tank. I was thinking of putting it down on the sand to see if he would come out more.
I would like to get him out, but I am not going to needlessly kill him just because I don't know what it is. And besides I don't have a QT to put him in.
Thanks

 

[fishtails]

I agree Colland, that it is useless to kill him just because you suspect he's a "bad" addition. You could try one of the old bait trap ideas.
Also, what type of LR is that?
Alex

 

[cholland]

Alex
Thanks, I was so excited that my rock came with critters. So I want to investigate all the possibilities.
The rock came from Fiji. It is beautiful. All the pieces were green and red, the brightest I had ever seen on rock.
I may try the trap idea. I am going to try some chopped shrimp tonight to see if he will come out. And then maybe try putting the rock down on the sand, to see if that works.
I found another site that has tons of pictures of stomapods(mantis) and he looks pretty similiar to some of them. So I don't know how long I can keep him....
Clifton

 

[fishtails]

Colland, he'd make a good canidate for a small 2.5 gallon if you could afford one. I've seen many, many beautiful mantis tanks and not to mention very interesting.
Alex

 

[krowleey]

be carful when moving stuff around in the tank i have heard they can get your finger something good.
Yes, I have seen his eyes. They are like little bulbs on stalks..

His forelegs are tucked up under his head.
its a mantis im pretty sure, i used ot have one in my tank and hey are not stupid creatures by any means. would not go for the trap at all i have to remove the rock and give it a freshwater dip to get him out. good luck :nervous:

 

[cholland]

Thanks for all the replies....I definitely think he is a mantis.
I am going to try to feed him alittle shrimp meat(is that wrong?) and see if I can get him used to that instead of my fish.
Does anyone think I should put his rock down on the sand bed or leave it up high where it is now?
Oh yeah, do they make a clicking noise? I thought I heard something yesterday when I got home. It was during the evening, and the lights were still on in the tank.

 

[jeepboy]

You may get him to eat meaty foods and leave your fish alone for awhile, but as he gets bigger if the opportunity presents itself he will kill a fish. As long as you realize this I don't think its a problem to keep him, although if its a smasher it might eventually smash your tank.

 

[howf777]

cholland
i know of a good site for info about mantis shrimp. im not sure if im allowed to post links of other sites, even if they are just info sites. send me ur email and ill fwd u the link