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/arthrop...raca/royslist/