setting up mantis shrimp tank

interestin developments 1 i have no idea what this thing is but it is about 10mm tall orange coloured and opens up when the lights are on and closes when the lights are off 2 i have a verry small crab i think i know that makes no sense but please try to explain to me what these are and if there is any chance they will make it through the cycle i will try and get pics if it helps but as i said they are verry small

 

The orange thing sounds like a coral polyp. It may or may not make it through the cycle.

The small crab will most likely make it through the cycle but will be eaten by the mantis. Is it carrying a shell?

 

thanks stepho i have a pic off the polyp thing ill put it on now but i cant get a good look at the crab it is hiding in a tiny hole in the rock but i have seen movement and legs and im pretty sure it has some tiny pincers

 

This is the orange thing:

 

update i tested the water again today with the results amonia 0 nitrites 0 and nitrates 5 i dont think this is the progress i was lookin for if i am supposed to see everything go up then down during the cycle.

 

sorry i also meant to mention that 1 piece of LR has gone a really deep green colour is this some kind of algae ? good or bad ? thanks

 

My tank is now 4 weeks old. I took some water to be tested, all is well...........YAY i have my first fish:

 

Don't expect your fish to live once you get your mantis. Damsel's are fast true, but the mantis is faster. I have a peacock and he killed my damsel in a matter of 2 weeks or so. LoL. Just keep your eye on it and when you find his body make sure to remove it so it doesn't get a chance to break down to nitrates.

 

yeah thanks kashoub dont expect it to live once i get a mantis if i ever do im havin a really hard time locating 1 but thats why i got a cheap fish also in the mean time would some turbo snails do a job on the algae on the back of tank ?

 

Hey this looks very similar to what I'll be doing in the near future. I don't need a new thread, just wondering some spear type mantis that people keep. If they're not so common the peacock is my next choice.