mantis shrimp.

[schenktank]

i think i saw mantis shrimp crawling in and around the live rock last night. there really fast when they swim and they dont curl up like the amphipods usually look like. i got two of them out shoulda got a pic. one was porbably half inch long. if theres a bunch in this live rock am i ever going to get rid of them? anyone else had any success getting them out when there still small like this.

[Jon Lazar]

I wouldn't worry about it. If it's very easy to take the rock out without disturbing everything, and removing the mantis will give you peace of mind, then go ahead. But a 1" mantis isn't going to do any harm unless you have teeny fish.

[schenktank]

its a 10 gallon nano so all my fish would be small.

[firecrackerbob]

I'm no mantis expert, so take this FWIW, but if you start seeing livestock disappear I would say you will know the culprit... with that said, Ive known a few mantis keepers over the years, and they are pretty cool animals(the mantis' that is!). If you like them then keep them, if not capture them and offer them up here on the forum, im sure someone will want them. they do make good pets in nanos though from what I have seen... just depends on what you want to do with the tank...

[flowerseller]

I wouldn't worry about it. If it's very easy to take the rock out without disturbing everything, and removing the mantis will give you peace of mind, then go ahead. But a 1" mantis isn't going to do any harm unless you have teeny fish.

 

Without a doubt I would remove it.

A mantis shrimp can take down larger fish than itself and will eat snails, hermit crabs, shrimp or anything else it can get hold of. Plus they do grow and are nothing but a pita.

You can try a soda bottle trap by cutting the top off and turning it around inside it self. I've done this for things many times and simply stapled the bottle back together. Stand back from the tank and bait it with something juicy. With a string attached to the bottle, you can pull it up.

not a bad video but it appears as though they left the top on the bottle or maybe drilled a hole in the lid itself.

[Steve175]

I agree: with consistent effort you can, and SHOULD, remove all your mantis ASAP.

[SunWyrm]

Pics!

 

Mantis keeper here. There are lots of people who would love a tiny mantis if you can capture him humanely, if there were 2 it might have been a pair. Also it's less likely that you have more than those 2.

 

I agree with everyone here you don't want these guys in your display unless the tank is specifically for them. Some people keep them with fish, but usually the danger is more to the mantis as many fish will go after its eyes. Raw shrimp would be a good bait imo or a dead snail.

[schenktank]

if there really small i would still only have 2? i sware i saw about 8 in thirty minutes. ill catch one and try to get a pic.

[SunWyrm]

It seems very odd as they can be pretty territorial. What color are they? If you can get a pic that would be best and I can try to id them for you, here's dr roy's list as well to help out:http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthropoda/crustacea/malacostraca/eumalacostraca/royslist/index.html#directory

[zygote2k]

Pics!

 

Mantis keeper here. There are lots of people who would love a tiny mantis if you can capture him humanely, if there were 2 it might have been a pair. Also it's less likely that you have more than those 2.

 

I agree with everyone here you don't want these guys in your display unless the tank is specifically for them. Some people keep them with fish, but usually the danger is more to the mantis as many fish will go after its eyes. Raw shrimp would be a good bait imo or a dead snail.

Never hear of fish going after a mantis' eyestalks. Wivestale.

[SunWyrm]

I guess you're right, I could've sworn I'd read that on RC but can't find it now - only successful fish tankmate posts (as long as they are smashers).

 

Do you have any other livestock in the tank, such as inverts?

 

 

Since this is a pest thread I'll keep my mantis-love to myself. Keep us updated!

[zygote2k]

I guess you're right, I could've sworn I'd read that on RC but can't find it now - only successful fish tankmate posts (as long as they are smashers).

 

Do you have any other livestock in the tank, such as inverts?

 

 

Since this is a pest thread I'll keep my mantis-love to myself. Keep us updated!

I've successfully kept 2) 6" Peacock Mantis in a full blown reef. They only ate hermits and snails. I had a 6" Niger Trigger that loved to do battle with them, but neither caused the other any serious damage.

[schenktank]

no other livestock besides what came on the liverock. i just set the tank up about 2 weeks ago.

[jaddc]

Where did you get the rock?

 

If you have only 20 lbs of rock I would pull out all the rock and pour seltzer over the rock over a bucket of salt water. I had 50 lbs and I caught 2 shrimps in like 20 minutes. Give them away. Someone will want them.

[Jan]

I dunno sounds like maybe amphipods to me. 8 is a bit much for mantis. Amphipods look like tiny shrimp. You would see more than one if nothing is eating them. I have hundreds of them in my pico. Some very large ones. They are very fast. Amphipods are good. They serve as food for larger fish. They are scavengers and help keep everything clean. They cause no harm. A sign of a thriving and healthy system.

 

 

 

if there really small i would still only have 2? i sware i saw about 8 in thirty minutes. ill catch one and try to get a pic.

Edited January 2, 2012 by Jan

[jaddc]

+1 on pods if they are small. My smallest mantis was 1" long.

[hbh]

Nice amphipods photo, Jan! Was wondering was that was in my tank as it looked like mini shrimp but I do not have shrimp. Thanks!

Hope you figure out what it is.

[schenktank]

do amphipods always have that curl to them? i had a bunch in my old tank but these all lay flat when they move. didnt catch any in the bottle trick. ill try again tonight.