locating a mantis shrimp ???

[deano]

hi all, i been hearing alot of clicking from my tank and done some reshearch on mantis shrimps and after watching a video on utube am pretty sure i have one the clicking is exsactly the same and i have hermet crabs with half of there shells smashed,and snails laying on there backs looking traumatised but still alive so im thinking its a baby mantis

anyhow, i have 160kg of live rock in there and cant seem to define where the clicking is comming from and my sand is pretty thin so he aint got much chance of burrowing, so im stuck for ideas and calling on u guys for wise words


i allso have zoas going missing and have been blaming my flame angel as some are 5ft apart and goin overnight but he has been in there for ages and never bothered them

as my tank is only a few months old i added 75kg of rock from a fellow reefer and a pair of blue throats and various corals ???

any advise is much appreciated

cheers

dean

[marinemike]

if you manage to catch it then will you put me a line on the lotto:D:D:D:D

[dduck]

finding a mantis in 160kg... best of luck ;) If you do find it and don't have a home for it let me know and it can join Nancy (ok my daughter named it) my green mantis in my sump.
The only thing i can suggest is some late night spotting with a red torch and try to locate the rock its in then remove the whole rock. My mantis makes a home by blocking up all but one entrance using small rocks / shells so this might be something to look for. Also it usually has a little pile of shells outside it's hole where it's eaten unlucky snails

[Gaters]

if you manage to catch it then will you put me a line on the lotto:D:D:D:D

lmao-i too have one-i know exactly where it lives but they are very very clever. The zoas going missing could be a eunice worm. I too have one but not as big as Macca's:o ask him if he has any pics.

[sinaarrgghh]

They can see red light I think. I'm sure I read that before somewhere. You will have to set a load of traps and keep your fingers crossed I am afraid, the traps will likely not work as they are very good at figuring things out but unless you have a very good idea where it is it may well be the only option you have.

[dduck]

Yep mines very clever, kept escaping into the next part of the sump for them yummy snails :eek: I can't imagine it staying in a trap for long

[Gaters]

Yep mines very clever, kept escaping into the next part of the sump for them yummy snails :eek: I can't imagine it staying in a trap for long

Yep, they can swim so it will go into the trap then swim right out after it's finished. They are also extremeley clever so you don't have a chance really.

[deano]

just see my mantis for the first time and he darted into one of the rocks at the top of the pile so i wipped it out and the rock next to it just incase he got in there

im gonna try and flush him out now with ro

happy times

[deano]

managed to get him out with alittle ro and is now in the sump,
id like to know what kind he is if anyone is good at iding them he has brownish back with abit of coulor on fringe of body with bluey green on his tail at each side and on his front fins and he is about 1.5" long if i can catch him ill post a pic

[Gaters]

Have a look here http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthropoda/crustacea/malacostraca/eumalacostraca/royslist/

[dduck]

well done for catching it and not killing it in the process :)

[Gillybaby]

Nice catch :)

Mantis Shrimps are really hard to ID, Dr Roy's list is a good starting point. The important things are the meral spots on the inside of the "raptorial appendages" (the arms they use to spear/smash with) and the shape of the tail. Unfortunately, colour has very little to do with it as shrimp of the same species can have different colouration depending on the depth and location they make their home.

I hope you have many happy years with your shrimp. I've had mine for 2 years now and he is a joy to play with, even if he is a Wee Git for not sitting still long enough to photograph ;)

[Jo M]

Dean,
Can i just ask exactly what you id to get the mantis shrimp. I have one and know exacty where he is, i just can't catch him.
Did you just dip the whole piece of LR in the R/O water and it came out?

Any advice will be great.

Cheers

[deano]

hi jo, after i found where he was i pulled out the whole peice of live rock with him inn then used the small pump off my top up and tube and pumped fresh ro water through the holes he was hiding inn and afew a few min he came out i then quickly netted him and straight into my sump,

if your goin to keep it in your sump mabyes put a net over your return pump as i have not seen much sign of mine the past couple of weeks and mabye thinking my or6500 has chopped him up but i havent investigated much

hope this helps

[Jo M]

Cheers Deano,

I think it's a bit late now, i think he has had an argument with my powerhead, and the powerhead has won. (unless they moult(found a body in the PH), but i have not heard him for a while either).

Cheers

[cl0wn]

they do moult so might not be the end of the story.

[Jo M]

I have found out they moult and then go completely quite for a week or so, so we will wait and see if i hear any more clicking, then i will try flushing him out.

Cheers guys for your input.
Jo