mantis shrimp

[Wolffvet]

I was surfing the net and found this site about mantis shrimp and just figured I would put it out here in case anyone needed it
http://www.blueboard.com/mantis/

oh_yeah

[Matt Rogers]

Bull's eye Wolff.

I stumbled on that one a few weeks back. Definately the most thorough one I have ever seen.

wahoo!!!!!

[karlas]

yep i found that site a while ago. infact i booked marked it it does have a lotta info on them probably more than any other on the mantis.thnx for postin the link though im sure there are a lot of people lookin for somtin like that. this proves looks can be decieving they have beautiful color but nasty little critters.

[SARGEBUCKEY]

I've lost 4 fishes and couple cleaner shrimps a few days apart. Today I came to the conclusion that it has to be a mantis shrimp as all the fish were doing well and didn't show any signs of stress before disapperance. The next day they were gone without the trace. I did research on the Internet but still need some clarification. I never heard clipping sound and never saw them in the tank. I have bunch of snails, crabs other shrimp and four small fish so I'm afraid the trap wouldn't attract mantis shrimp and other shrimp instead. Do other shrimp has to be removed from the tank first? What do you guys think? Next question is about their behavior. Do they come out only at night and if they do, wouldn't they run away quickly from flashlight? What's the best way to approach this problem? Thanks for any input.

[karlas]

a lot of things that come out at night dissapear as soon as the light hits them. im not sure about your other questions i think mantis most of the time are night critters. there are 2 kinds of mantis clickers and spearers if your not hearing any clicking you might have the spearer type. they make no noise just ambush and spear. as far as looking at night take your flashlight and put someting red over it. doing this takes the heat out and you can see without it dissapearing. you can use the red colored renylds wrap that would work for you. it works like when people go out and catch nightcrawlers they put the red cover over the light and it works the same way they dont hurry back into the ground

[Matt Rogers]

Wow that is weird Sargebucky.

Did you do a water change a day or so before?
Add any additives, do anything different?

Did you test the water?

Hmm..

It may be a mantis, but at this point it could be anything.
The mantis I had in my 40 wasn't shy at all and would come out when I fed the fish and grab some food.

[SARGEBUCKEY]

Thank you for the help. I've tested the water and all levels are correct. I've been adding Seachem calcium and alkalinity supplements for about a month. The latest test has shown the levels to be as needed. I'm stunned and I guess more observation is needed.

[Gresham]

I had a mantis in my 54 for 2 years, not a spearing type though. He definitly did his share of damage, just to small fish, snails and hermits. He never really clicked at daylight hours, although, if I had just adjusted my water parameters, he'd be active. I watched for him for close to 3 months every night @ least 1/2 hour a night. Never saw him, found molts, or any other trace, except, the clicking and death. My parameters we're very good at the time, and all the fish were of excellent health. He moved twice, you can track em by the sound. Traps, no stinking traps. You've gotta get it close to the burrow, or have a very bold mantis. I've flushed them outa rock I knew they're in with a carbinated water bath. Jumped out in a matter of minutes, didn't do any visible damage to the rock, all the sponges pulled it. Oh, and a couple mushrooms too.

im pretty sure ive got a mantis shrimp in my tank
hes only about 2mm long an ive only seen him once
wat size will he get to b4 he starts causin damage ??

[karlas]

try to get em out now do you know what rock hes living in? ive heard lots of people had success with carbonated beverage of some type. greesham even posted it worked for him. as far as size and damage read this article

mantis