need help with ID please
 

Was given this rock with brown anemonies on it. Apparently they grow very large and reproduce like mad. Looks suspiciously like a kind of aptasia to me. I am afraid to put it in my tank. What do you think? They close up and travel like a regular anemone. (????)

Also, have been trying to catch a 1/2" mantis. I saw it in my tank. Have lost a couple of crabs. Now I'm wondering if the clicking and demolition is from this big green crab? Would a mantis under an inch be able to crush my blue-leg hermits? Should I be getting this big green guy (shell almost 3") out of my tank?
Thanks, Marianne

Looks like little BTA's to me. (Possibly RBTA's)

I'm known to be wrong sometimes though.

I wouldn't remove an interesting creature simply because you think it might multiply out of control. It may not. Wait and see what it does and do something later.

...but my opinions are generally not mainstream.

A 1/2" mantis might be able to kill a blue leg hermit. No doubt it would want to try. My opinion (again, not mainstream) is that blue leg hermits only cost $1.50, but try to find another mantis...I think the mantis is more interesting to keep.

What big green crab? A 3" mantis?

They look like majono (sp) anemones to me. I have them in one of my tanks and they are a PITA - and they do multiply like crazy.

Could also be a rock/flower anemone. Hard to tell!

a mantis that is already hunting hermits and is still .5' is not a worry. chances are it's a very small species of mantis like haptosquilla (my best guess without a pic of some sort). I agree with untamed in that mantids are much more interesting than any old hermit. If you give a brief description of the tank and a pic of the mantis i could help you out more.

edit: did you mean the crab is doing demolition? or the mantis? or are you talking about a mantis crab hybrid monster thingy?

Looks like Majano to me also.

You could be right.

I've only ever seen the green ones like this.

http://www.seahorse-nw.com/Predators/IMAG035.JPG

But the shape does look like the little buggers for sure.:biggrin:

id
 

Get out the vinegar..............Burn baby !

Thanks very much to all !!!
 

Okay, I'm going with Majono anemonies. If anyone want some free, they are hardy enough!! I tried in vain to attach a picture of my large fancy striped green hermit crab - think it's a zebra. I just wondered if it was more likely that the hermit was doing damage to the smaller crabs, or a tiny mantis. We only saw it when we transferred the rock. Didn't know what this tiny 1/2" pale blue thing was - looked like a baby lobster without the huge claw. So, unwittingly we slipped it into the tank. We have heard clicking ever since. Now I think we've identified our blue lobster that we were so delighted to get for free. Will take out the rock with the Majono. Thanks, Marianne