[jade]

I just got a new piece of live rock....I soon noticed small white termite looking things, I think they are MANTIS SHRIMP.. but there a bunch and everywher...there small and clear and ive spotted about 4-5 of them..can any one help??????????

[SeaBoy]

I dont believe they are mantis shrimp, mostly to be some type of arthopods, mantis shrimp do come in new live rock, but i have never seen white, if they are mantis shrimp i would remove them, because they will eat all fish and inverts you put in there, also can spilt your finger or even crack your tank if they reach a large enough size.

[chicago coral]

yeah sounds like amphipods i get them on my glass all the time they're actually good for the reef tank and a source of food for fish

[Krazy]

Sounds like some pods all right, no need to worry bout them, they are a good thing to have and will probably multiply like crazy, take a look with a flashlight at night, you'll see them everywheres literally

[FoodSounds]

i found little white things in my tank too, last night when i was cleaning my filter there was about 4-5 in 1 sponge and 2 in the other. i do have a cleaner shrimp. can shrimp self-reproduce? i dont see any in the tank just the filter. i left them in there. but should i take them out? if there shrimp im just gonna leave them for the fish, protein . they look like my shrimp but alot smaller and more worm-like. like giant lice, o and they are tiny! only about 3-5cm long.

[oceanbrandon]

These tiny infestations do not sound like baby cleaner shrimp. Cleaner shrimp are known to breed in captivity but the young are extremely difficult to keep alive and usually die off very quickly. Your infestation sounds more like a small benefcial colony of brine shrimp. Brine shrimp make very nice snacks for most tank inhabbitants and sometimes i pull my filter pads out and sweep the baby brine shrimp into my tank. My fish love them very much.

[oceanbrandon]

Originally Posted by FoodSounds

i found little white things in my tank too, last night when i was cleaning my filter there was about 4-5 in 1 sponge and 2 in the other. i do have a cleaner shrimp. can shrimp self-reproduce? i dont see any in the tank just the filter. i left them in there. but should i take them out? if there shrimp im just gonna leave them for the fish, protein . they look like my shrimp but alot smaller and more worm-like. like giant lice, o and they are tiny! only about 3-5cm long.

by the way: cleaner shrimp do not self reproduce. they can infact pair off and

[Blackjacktang]

What does mantis shrimp look like?

[chicago coral]

they are usually 1-3 inches like your pinky finger, they look like a caterpillar with two eyes that stand up out of their head like antenae.the eyes look crazy bacause they go in different directions.i saw one today at the local fish store about 4 inches long and as thick as your middle finger,but they usually will hide among some rock or coral you bought so it won't be that big usually.

[ACE]

Originally Posted by Blackjacktang

What does mantis shrimp look like?

Hear is a link that has a picture of a mantis shrimp on it.

Mantis Shrimp: Pet or Pest? - Page 1 - Introduction to What Mantis Shrimp Are

[e_baer]

mantis shrimps are hte most amazing things in the ocean!

i love them!

i would like to get one if i had the money

[ACE]

Originally Posted by e_baer

mantis shrimps are hteGlassGlassglass most amazing things in the ocean!

i love them!

i would like to get one if i had the money

And very thick glass I heard they could brake glass 1/4 inch thick!!!

[AB3]

Some of the bigger ones can but most of them wont. I have a 3" one in a 10g glass tank. I was worried at first when I heard they could break through the glass but then I found out its only the really big ones.

[e_baer]

yeah, and we fed ab3's mantis a white shrimp i got, and the mantis was hitting it on the back, then snatched the entire thing and braught it into its burrow.

SO COOL!!!!

[AB3]

yo elliott how are the polyps

[e_baer]

they are good, they have opened all the way, and i put them in some good current, they seem to like it a lot.

[jipo123]

there is meny types of mantis shrimp. there is a white one and a clear one. Ghost mantis. they get just as big and just a mean. so be aware about it.

[ambertatreau]

How do they break through the glass? They sound scary

[Tonz of fun]

Originally Posted by ambertatreau

How do they break through the glass? They sound scary

They have little feelers that are as sharp as a surgical blade and can even cut your finger down to the bone.

[ambertatreau]

Wow. I would like to see one. I juuuust today got my skunk cleaner shrimp in, and he's a little weird...I need to get acclimated to him I think.

[Salt-lick]

Originally Posted by jade

I just got a new piece of live rock....I soon noticed small white termite looking things, I think they are MANTIS SHRIMP.. but there a bunch and everywher...there small and clear and ive spotted about 4-5 of them..can any one help??????????

Sounds like you have the larger version of copepods.. can't think of the name off the bat... but most likley good for your tank, unless you have mantis shrimp fry (which is unlikley) A picture would certainly help.

[Salt-lick]

Originally Posted by Tonz of fun

They have little feelers that are as sharp as a surgical blade and can even cut your finger down to the bone.

I showed Tonz my mantis shrimp eating... mine is a monster... I wont dare dangle my finger near him HAHA.