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View Full Version : Baby mantis or Large agressive pod?


smcnally
04/22/2007, 06:32 PM
Could this possibly be a baby mantis? I thought it was some sort of pod and thought it was weird that it was the only one I've found that survived the interceptor treatment, but noticed it has a little burrow. What made me think it could be a baby mantis was when I noticed it's front appendages. They look like the arms of a spearer mantis, and I actually witnessed it zoom around like a mantis and rip a small feather duster out of its tube and eat it. If this is some sort of pod, it is on the large side and pretty damn aggressive.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b68/stevesreef/dsc04406.jpg

Pea-brain
04/22/2007, 06:54 PM
Is it's back always curled up like that? sounds like a mantis. If I were you I'd set up a small holding tank and feed suitable sized foods (enriched brine shrimp or pods for example) It takes nearly a year for a baby to grow 1" so you shouldn't worry about it killing fish or crabs or anything. But I am also new to saltwater and don't know too much about amphipods, copepods etc. etc. If it is always curled up like that though it looks like it could be a magnamius (sp?) shrimp....but I think I see characteristic big eyes and raptorial appendages.......

Hutton
04/22/2007, 08:48 PM
Male amphipod, if it were a speaer mantis its arms would be like upside down praying mantis arms. the male amphipods have the large claws to hold onto mates.

Ehudd
04/22/2007, 08:51 PM
Amphipod, good little things, go down well in a mandarin fish's stomach

forrestp38829
04/22/2007, 10:25 PM
+1 Amphipod definately.

smcnally
04/23/2007, 06:41 AM
Thanks everyone! Must be one strong little bugger to live through a 7 hour interceptor treatment :)

justinl
04/23/2007, 12:27 PM
maybe you've created a new mutant super pod! that'd be cool.