anyone know what this little critter is????

[luisse25]

ok i was fragging my zoas and as im breaking the rock,this thing pop out...it looks to me that its a baby...shrimp?or something else???

one claw is way bigger than the other one..looks like a baby pistol shrimp to me..im not so sure...anyone id this asap pls??? it have i in a small container...
i wanna put it back in my tank but i wanna know what it is first if its reef safe or not.......thanks

 

[boatswainmate]

looks like some kind of lobster maby

 

[luisse25]

yeah but one claw is bigger than the other...hope somebody knows what it is..i have him in a small container...

 

[Myteemouse]

looks like a mantis shrimp to me!

 

[busdriver]

i'm not an expert on them, but I agree with mtm...

 

[returnofsid]

Most Mantis shrimp will have eyes that sit up on stalks. I would say it's a Pistol Shrimp. However, there are so many species of shrimp that could make their way into our tanks, as a hitchhiker, that's it's really hard to say for certain.

 

[estanoche]

Most Mantis shrimp will have eyes that sit up on stalks. I would say it's a Pistol Shrimp. However, there are so many species of shrimp that could make their way into our tanks, as a hitchhiker, that's it's really hard to say for certain.

The backwards tail flare thing is intriguing - and makes me think mantis after looking at some google images. Here's some google images of the unpretty version of these guys - I say grow it out and have a lobster dinner one day J/K

http://www.stripersonline.com/surftalk/showthread.php?t=551277&page=5

http://italianfood.about.com/od/fishdishes/ig/La-Galleria-del-Pesce/Canocchie--or-Mantis-Shrimp.htm

 

[reef18ster]

I would say a pistol shrimp due to the one claw being bigger than the other. On the other hand, it's tail is that of a Mantis. Maybe this is a rare hybrid where a pistol and a mantis got a little freaky deaky.

 

[luisse25]

lol. if its a lobster i guess it would look something like this when it gets old.
http://tokyohousepb.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/Redtail_Roll.8133859.JPG

 

[luisse25]

The shape looks more like this one, although its a baby and baby critters seem to change a lot when they get older,
http://www.liverockandmore.com/uploads/44f373da869ce.jpg

i put him on the small container(i mentioned that earlier lol) then i cut some window screen (the plastic like one reef safe) and tied a rubber band around it and placed it back on my aquapod. i dont know what i could feed it.
so well i guess i will be calling him Mr. Pinchee for now.

thanks all that replied so far.

THE DYNAMIC DUO
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8a/Gobie_and_Shrimp.JPG

hopefully one day.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Pistol Shrimp

 

[reef18ster]

i dont know what i could feed it.

It should eat anything meaty. Just drop some bits of mysis in there or something.

 

[Superfish]

definitly not a mantis, looks like baby pistol

 

[luisse25]

yes it is a pistol..i have it in a small container in my 24gal with a net that way it cant go out...he is getting big...i have a yellow watchman goby on my 55gal and i cant wait to pair them up...it might take a while though...i put sand in the container,he buries himself there..

 

[jag3534]

Thats really COOL!! Nice work! That'd be awesome to get them paired up huh?

 

[luisse25]

i know i cant wait....i cant believe its still alive...i just put food in the container then sometimes i see him swimming trying to get out...funny

 

[mmn_usn]

put a little rock for him to hide in or under.

 

[luisse25]

will do thanks...