unknown (and fast) hitchhikers

[EBR]

Hi -- There are two little creatures that arrived with the LR I recently added:

1. I got only a glimpse of him, but it sort of had the body of a garden slug, and the head of a shrimp, was all black, crawls on the bottom, hides between the rocks, and is lightning fast.

2. I got a better look at this other one, which if it were outside I would think was a caterpillar -- segmented body with a bunch of feet along the sides. It was light-brownish all over though, and fairly fast as well, crawling on the bottom and hiding.

Sorry, I don't have a pic of them yet, but can anyone give me some hints to help narrow my search? Thanks.

Matt

 

[dralarms]

1 probally a mantis. 2 probally a bristle worm.

 

[XXFirefighter]

1 probally a mantis. 2 probally a bristle worm.

I'll 2nd that !
The 1st is a mantis !

 

[EBR]

Thanks for the tips -- I do believe the first is a mantis as you suggest. Since posting this, I've heard the little devil tapping at something. Any suggestions on how to get rid of him?

As for the second, I looked up what a bristle worm looks like, and it doesn't quite fit. What I saw was much fatter and shorter. More of a fat, squishy caterpillar than a centipede-like-thing. Can this still be a bristle worm? If so, is it an "undesirable" like the mantis?

Thanks, All.
Matt

 

[dralarms]

More of a fat, squishy caterpillar than a centipede-like-thing.

Got me on that one. :? Sorry.

 

[sumphead]

FAT? CATERPILLAR? I smell a fireworm or a bristle. But neither are super fast. Quick enough to get outta view though.

 

[daclozer]

sounds like a bristle worm to me. I have seen several variations of them that look very different. Anyway if it is a bristle, they are good for the tank, they are detrivores and will also sift the substrate for you...