Amphipod-type creature on some favites from Zoanthids.com

[Tired]

About half a dozen of these came off in the dip, so I rescued them. This is one of the two largest ones I found, about a quarter-inch from antenna tip to tailtip, and is clearly gravid. Anyone recognize these? 

[demonclownfish]

Looks like the micro pistols that live inside and among corals 

[Tired]

Interesting thought. I don't see any snapping claws on any of them, but maybe the claws are tiny? 

[demonclownfish]

These little guys  from Blue Planet: Coral Sea's.

 

Could definitely be a species of them 

[Reefkid88]

They all look to be friends,so I would keep them. The bigger one does looks shrimpish not gonna lie. 

[Tired]

Oh, wow, that does look really similar. You might be onto something! I saw that episode too, but it was awhile back, I'd forgotten how odd (for pistol shrimp) they look. I'll have to make sure to try and put them somewhere nice, where they can settle in.

 

Did the episode happen to mention a species name so I can learn more about them? 

[demonclownfish]

9 minutes ago, Tired said:

Oh, wow, that does look really similar. You might be onto something! I saw that episode too, but it was awhile back, I'd forgotten how odd (for pistol shrimp) they look. I'll have to make sure to try and put them somewhere nice, where they can settle in.

 

Did the episode happen to mention a species name so I can learn more about them? 

It just labeled them as "snapping shrimp" - but obviously TINY

 

but they put a "?" after snapping shrimp indicating they weren't 100% sure

[patback]

I don't think it is, but have you looked into skeleton shrimp?  Just a possibility. It's hard to tell what is the fleshy body part and what is just background. 

[Tired]

Skeleton shrimp would be really cool, but no, these are definitely something more like an amphipod or pistol shrimp in body shape. 

 

I've put them in my tank. If they are eusocial critters, hopefully the two gravid females will mean at least one colony gets set up, which could be really cool. On the long shot that these are eusocial and they establish a colony, that colony might get to go in a breeder box or something else, both for close observation and to keep them from getting munched.