mantis shrimp??

L

littleindianboy

AC Members
Aug 15, 2005
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toronto, ontario, canada, north america, the world
Hello all,
I was watching my tank the other day, (lights on), and I caught a glimpse of a grey creature, which was about 1/4 of an inch long. It definitely had legs and crawled into a hole in my live rock. I was wondering if anyone can guess what it could be. I am worried it is a mantis shrimp, but havent seen any hermit crab deaths nor fish injuries. Thanks for replying.
 
I'd bet on a pistol shrimp. Small, often grey, very common hitchhikers. I have always had a bunch in my tanks. You may hear the occasional crack, especially at night.
 
There are many species of pistols, with varying lifestyles. Some have burrows, others are symbiotic with sponges or anemones, others aren't symbiotic with anything. The ones that found their way to my tank all live in the rocks. They are harmless, especially when compared with mantises.

The best way to tell them apart is by appearance. If the shrimp looked like a tiny crayfish, it's likely to be a pistol. There are other small, harmless shrimp that also ride along on the live rock. Mantis shrimp have a very distinctive appearance. There are pics of both in the hitchhiker thread, although the pistol was moving too fast for a good photo.
 
Do you hear a ticking at night time when the lights are off?
I would set a trap if I were you, especially if you can't identify
the critter. Good luck!
 
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