AHH!! HELP!! MANTIS SHRIMP!!

[CrGiants]

I found a very small mantis shrimp this evening while cleaning my tank. He was in my power filter, and is about 1/3" long. My question is, if there's one, are there likely more. And if there are more, what can I do about it? Is there anything that will eat them?

Thanks in advance!

Cliff

 

[john f]

It's probably a gammarus amphipod and not a mantis.
A mantis would not let you catch him in a power filter.



John

 

[CrGiants]

Thanks for the reply!

Do gammarus amphipods look pretty similar in structure to mantis shrimp. This little guy has two "arms" up in front like a mantis, which is why I was thinking it was a mantis. I don't know how he got there, whatever he is, but I was cleaning my filter (hang-on Aquaclear 200), and he was in there. I am going to try to find a pic of the gammarus amphipod....

Thanks,

Cliff

 

[danmhippo]

Yes, amphipods' front "claws" do mimic mantis'. Amphipods do not typically grow longer then 2/5". I have seen green variety of amphipods sent to me from OceanRider that is about 1/2" long. Very bright green, very cute, and my fish all loved it very much........

 

[CrGiants]

I did find pics and they are gammarus amphipods. While I'm at it, I am noticing some very short, brown slender tubes, with tiny little tentacles, somewhat of a green tint in the center. These look nothing like the two aiptasia I had, or feather dusters, so I'm wondering if they are hydroids? If so, how harmful are they and what can I do to get rid of them without harming my seahorses (Seahorses will be arriving on Tuesday)?

 

[john f]

I have a whole colony of these in my seahorse tank.
I don't know what they are but they reproduce fairly slow, and have never hurt anything including the seahorse.


John