re creature I found in the dark
 

This morning I just happened to get a glimpse of something dark in my tank,
I had just turned on a night light and just peaked in and to my wonderous
eyes saw something scoot into a tiny hole in the rock I am guessing maybe
half an inch with tentacles and maybe a small head looks almost fuzzy. I
can see it sticking out a bit from the hole. What could it be? If I didn't know
better I'd say it was a catapillar. Looks black to me.

how fast did it move? could be a mantis?

Since you described it as "caterpillar" like in appearance, I'd say it's probably a type of bristle worm. You'd have to catch it to properly ID it.

it moved very quickly. Hmm bristle I dunno. Possible I guess.

Moved quickly? Eunicid worm is my bet.

Good hunch,that was my gut instinct, could be a number of other worms though.

Good, bad or indifferent?

Could be any one of the above. Monitor your livestock and make sure things aren't going missing, if they are....get it out!

Okay, I am hearing some clicking coming from in there, never heard it before and have
added nothing new to tank. Hmm

Clicking is usually a sign of a Mantis. Well that or a Pistol Shrimp.

too much of a lack of info for anyone to give you any meaningful advice.
watch it close, listen for clicking.

Bristle worms and mantis shrimp and pistol shrimp all look very different, but based on your description, it could be any of them.


best to be sure before you consider any advice or diagnosis.
wait until your lights are out, and put some food near where you saw it retreat (not with your fingers) and see if you can't get a better description.

the easiest way is to put the rock into your sump...or place the rock in fresh water and it will come out. some people have flushed them out with soda water...

Thanks I will try the freshwater idea. I just feed them with spirulina flakes and watched
his spot carefully he came flying out, he is about an inch long and so quick its amazing.
I really don't get it never heard the clicking before its creeepin me out a little.

my puffer would eat it

we freshwater dipped our liverock and flushed a pistol out. we didnt soak for very long and managed not to kill our coralline or worse all the bacteria in the rock. ive read a less shocking treatment is to soak in less saline water for slightly longer. its more gentle on the rock and will still make it uncomfortable enough for whatever critter is in it to vacate.

If it is that fast is sounds like a mantis shrimp to me they are lightning quick kind of freaky how fast they can move. Oh yah if it is Mantis whatch your fingers they are not called thumb splitters for nothing.

watch out that it doesnt climb out and get you at night, haha, just jokes.

Thanks lobster boy the tank is actually in my bedroom.
yuck anyone need a piece o rock nice coraline(free) you just have to grab it out.

:biggrin:

Unless your losing livestock leave the poor critter be. We pay big bucks to put living rock in our tanks and then do everything we can to kill all the life off.

I had a mantis shrimp in one of my tanks for 2 years and barely even noticed him, he never hurt anything. In fact for all I know he may still be around I never did figure out why he disappeared

Hear,hear!!!

consider it part of your clean-up crew. if their well fed you won't even notice them. i have had 3 mantis show up over one year. first time i paniced and got rid of it. the second one is in my sump. and for the third, he is very interesting. lives in a rock and has a trap door that he opens daily looking for food. then every day he closes the trap door (a small pebble he places to fill the hole) . i rarely see him, just know he still there because the trap door is opened and closed daily.

That was also a thought I had, pretty sure its not done anything naughty and with the
piece of rock he's in is at bottom of some very large not to mention supporting pieces.
I may let him hang and see what happens. But when my prized fish go mia can I have
your blessing on trapping it. He, glad that you said you had one makes me relax a bit. I
agree I do not relish the thought of cature and kill. Pretty nasty, mostly cause I am
scared.

Wonder if I can have a second tank at work with a mantis.... :mrgreen:

I got a mantis off of a concerned reefer and promptly took it home and set up an aquapod for it..
I put in 3 small yellow tail damsels and a couple rock crabs and they are all still alive after a couple of weeks and the mantis eats mysis and whatever food gets near his hole but no animosity in him at all so far.

The mantis is super cool, although secretive, I would bever even notice him in my large display as he does the rock door trick too.

I'm going to add a couple shrimps and see if that doesn't entice some hunter behavior.
I honestly have my doubts.

I also understand there are numerous sub species of mantis and all are different in the habitat they have adapted to live in so everyones experience may vary.