Mantis Shrimp ID

[mattybecks]

So yesterday I saw a Mantis Shrimp (I am assuming it was a mantis shrimp) pop out of the rocks. He must have been there for quite sometime as I haven't added in anything new for a while now.
This would explain the mystery of my missing invertebrates (a few months ago my cleaner shrimp both disappeared, I have been noticing a decrease in my smaller hermit crabs, and I haven't seen my peppermint shrimp for 5 days now).
I know the video doesn't show the full body, and it is a little grainy, but I was hoping to understand what kind of mantis shrimp this is. I really hope it is one of the smaller hammer variety's as I don't want my fish to start disappearing. They seem to be ok now though.

he is a white/cream colour through-out the entire body. No colour markings. He darted out his hiding place into the hole above him (after I cut the video sadly) and he was surprisingly long, 5.5cm - 6cm in length. judging by the distance he stretched out between the holes. He was about as long as my biggest clownfish.

 

[Lovemyreef2015]

It's definitely a mantis shrimp. But I need a more detailed picture to ID you can Google how to trap a mantis shrimp to try and catch him. I wish I could be more help sorry.

 

[reef lover]

Hes adorable!!

 

[mattybecks]

Thank you for the responses! I was watching the tank yesterday for a good long while but didnt see him come out at all.
Good news is that I found my peppermint shrimp. So he hasnt been eaten yet. Along with some more colourful hitchhicker crabs..

 

[mattybecks]

He

Hes adorable!!

He is rather cute..

 

[JordanS01]

n_oerstedii

Could be this species if it is cream colored. If not the list has other species.

 

[mattybecks]

I know some species of mantis don't get huge, and if he is one of those, maybe he could stay in there for a little while eating hitchhiker crabs gathered from the beach? I have 3 hitchhiker crabs that have been in there for a while, not causing trouble. I kind of enjoy them. They are like the chickens of the sea.

 

[mattybecks]

n_oerstedii

Could be this species if it is cream colored. If not the list has other species.

Thanks! had a look and mine was like a solid cream/white colour. No spots or markings.

 

[JordanS01]

Mantis shrimp are in my opinion the coolest things to keep out there, the one animal that got me into the hobby.It will however kill any snail or crab, sometimes shrimp if it's feeling it. Yours is for sure a small species. The only big ones are the spearers and the famous Peacock and lesser known japonicus.

 

[mattybecks]

Mantis shrimp are in my opinion the coolest things to keep out there, the one animal that got me into the hobby.It will however kill any snail or crab, sometimes shrimp if it's feeling it. Yours is for sure a small species. The only big ones are the spearers and the famous Peacock and lesser known japonicus.

Thanks man. I really appreciate your insight. Even though I have only seen him once, I am growing fond of him and think its cool just knowing he is in there. Its really easy to collect snails and crabs for food anyway.