Baby mantis shrimp?

Mattchamp · Apr 18, 2013

I look at my sand bed today and I noticed a tiny bug like thing it wasn't a pod it had the small moving legs that shrimp have and it is skinny and long, it's too small to get a shot but it made a tiny crevice between the sand it also had larger legs near the front could it possibly be a baby mantis?

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3Twinklets · Apr 18, 2013

More shan likely a shrimp or beneficial bug.

ritter6788 · Apr 18, 2013

Could be a mantis. You'll hear clicking or popping noises if it is. They aren't shy so they can usually been drawn out with food.

Mantis shrimp will be colored while amphipods won't have much color at all.

How big are we talking?

Reefing Madness · Apr 18, 2013

Tiny thing sounds like one of the larger PODs there are that will occupy your tank.

Mattchamp · Apr 19, 2013

It is about a centimeter long I have noticed it is able to push things much larger than itself, and it doesn't look like any pod I've ever seen and my tank is swarming with pods, it is a green color and is skinny and long

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Apet66 · Apr 19, 2013

Definitely sounds like it could be a mantis shrimp. I had one hitchhike in on my rock. He lasted about 5 months. I think something snatched him when he molted. Haven't seen mine in 2 months.
Hard to say without a pic. When he gets bigger you'll hear him smacking the rocks.

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Mattchamp · Apr 19, 2013

But do they bury in the sand? And also is it possible it could be a baby cleaner shrimp? Because mine breed very often

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Apet66 · Apr 19, 2013

Mattchamp said:
But do they bury in the sand? And also is it possible it could be a baby cleaner shrimp? Because mine breed very often

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They do build caves in your sand under your rocks. It's possible that its a cleaner. Hard to say with it so small. Does it have bulbous eyes? The pushing sand part makes me believe its a mantis.

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ritter6788 · Apr 19, 2013

Sounds like a mantis to me from the info u gave.

Where did your live rock come from? Any Florida liverock?

Reefing Madness · Apr 19, 2013

ritter6788 said:
Sounds like a mantis to me from the info u gave.

Where did your live rock come from? Any Florida liverock?

ritter6788 · Apr 19, 2013

Does it look like this?

[video=youtube;EVZu1UCZzUI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVZu1UCZzUI&list=UU8K3chr_gB3F4eLteS5WDbA& index=15[/video]

Mattchamp · Apr 19, 2013

ritter6788 said:
Does it look like this?

[video=youtube;EVZu1UCZzUI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVZu1UCZzUI&list=UU8K3chr_gB3F4eLteS5WDbA& index=15[/video]

Kinda but a lot smaller than that and is a clearish brown Also it features those beating legs that shrimp have near this tail do pods feature these?

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Mattchamp · Apr 19, 2013

Their*

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ritter6788 · Apr 19, 2013

The smashers are on the front of the mantis.

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthropoda/crustacea/malacostraca/eumalacostraca/royslist/species.php?name=n_wennerae

[URL="http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthropoda/crustacea/malacostraca/eumalacostraca/royslist/species.php?name=n_oerstedii"]http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthropoda/crustacea/malacostraca/eumalacostraca/royslist/species.php?name=n_oerstedii

[URL="http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthropoda/crustacea/malacostraca/eumalacostraca/royslist/species.php?name=n_curacaoensis"]http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthropoda/crustacea/malacostraca/eumalacostraca/royslist/species.php?name=n_curacaoensis

[/URL][/URL]

Mattchamp · Apr 19, 2013

I read more about the smasher mantis it is small and not as aggressive as other mantis the mantis I may have might be a smasher is it a reef safe mantis?

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