Intruder in my tank.. need help to identify

[maelina]

Hello everyone,

A couple of days ago I noticed this black thing that stays in a old mushroom coral skeleton. It has the head of a shrimp but I never seen such thing before.

I was able to take a picture of its head.. but it looks quite long.. almost an inch. I also noticed that it had a very agressive behavior when feeding. Some pellets sink next to it.. and the thing attacked it in a lightning flash.

Anyone has an idea?

Thanks

Melle

 

[Ctimpson]

Can you get a clearer picture?

 

[d.french]

holy sh!t looks like a mantis, watch your fingers.

 

[d.french]

if its a mantis it will kill all fish and inverts, but don't kill it take it to pet store some people like to raise mantis shrimp, they are very interesting bugger. They have been known to break aquarium glass, fastest striking creature in the world.

 

[maelina]

that's what I thought.. but black? wth!

 

[reeffreak]

Yep,its a mantis shrimp.It will become more dangerous when it gets even bigger.No shrimps,crabs,snails and small fish will be safe around it.They sell mantis traps for them,I don't know how well they work though.Watch your fingers.

 

[maelina]

Since its so small I will buy a small plastic hamster box and put the coral in it ... the mantis stays in it anyway.. at least it will protect my tank until I find him a new home!

 

[Bifferwine]

Just from your description alone, it sounds like a mantis shrimp. They come in all sorts of colors, black is not uncommon. If you know what rock it lives in, the easiest thing to do is to just remove that particular rock and isolate it, so you've got the right idea about how to handle it. BE CAREFUL, DO NOT GET YOUR FINGERS NEAR IT. It can slash you open so fast you won't know what hit you. If you have a pair of tongs, use those to handle the rock.

 

[HAWKS12thMAN]

I always catch mantis like playing a game of diving for apples. Just throw your head in there and grab the coral with your teeth!

 

[yote]

That IS a mantis.But its not the slasher/thumb splitter mantis.
Notice where that ones at.Its in the sand.Its the mantis with the spear.

 

[Rcpilot]

:yikesu:

COOL!! But dangerous. :death:

 

[yote]

:yikesu:

COOL!! But dangerous. :death:

Shore nuff.:helm2: