[perculus]

I had a hermit in my big tank for 1week,decided it was killing everything so I moved it to a 7 gal live rock tank. While looking at my crab to feed it a small white and red fish came out and shot back in. It swim inside the shell of the crab and even changes shells with it. It is very small half the size of lets say a scianochromis cichlid hatchling.
Got the crab 3 weeks ago and it has just come in from the wild.The fish moves alot like a cleaner wrass or goby,,,upside down.
Ive put mesh on the intakes in case.

What could this be????
:shock:
Thank you in advance
Stephany

 

[caferacermike]

Are you sure it is not any sort of amphipod?

 

[perculus]

98% sure. I must of watched it for 2 hours now. It came out and sat on top of the crab shell, could clearly see some sort of a backbone and tail. My husband that has been a fish specialist for 25 year has confirmed what I saw,with reluctance of saying it was a fish. It is half red and half white with a stripe on the back. It moves with intent and will feed below the crabs mouth when its eating.

*Edited by Blue.*

Trying to get a pic, but its soo small and fast.

I will continue observing it.Maybe it is a shrimp of some type but it looks so much like a fry its ridiculous.

Im confused and amazed....

ps: we do wear glasses and do not have the best vision.Will ask a friend with good eyesight to look at it.

 

[usmc121581]

It sounds like a fire fish. But I have never heard of them living with hermits.

 

[caferacermike]

I'm thinking more of a tiny goby like this red head.

Or a catalina

All pictures stolen from yahoo searches by CRM. Not my pics.

 

[perculus]

yeah so ok it may be a shrimp or something upon closer examination.

what do u think??



look inside on the top. very quick so dont look away!

cool anyways

sorry for the vid its a webcam

 

[caferacermike]

I definitelyl saw a round amphipod. But I could not tell if there was something else as well.

 

[perculus]

It has a long transparent tail that you cant see and also between eyes a dark spot wich I guess is its brain. Is it common for such a relationship to occur?? It really seems happy in there.

So much fun live rock tanks, there is always a new critter to find if you just look hard enough!

 

[caferacermike]

Tkae a look at pistol shrimp/goby relationships. This sort of thing is very common in the marine world. I'd bet your's is not symbiotic so much as the shrimp like creature found a safe and secure place to live.