mantis or pistol? - behavior giveaway?

[CloruroDiSodio]

Hi gang,

I've removed two N wennerae mantis shrimp from my tank and still hear a pop now and then. I think this one is a pistol shrimp but I have been unable to visually see it to be sure. Anyway I think I may have a clue depending on the behavior traits of each. Here goes: When I feed my fish, say frozen mysis, the shrimp will pop. It is only one pop sometimes a couple with a wide space of time in between. My question is this, if a mantis shrimp sees a dead piece of food fall next to it would it just eat it up without striking at it? On the other hand, if a pistol sees the food does it always pop it's claws next to it? I think if i had the answer to this question it would tell me which shrimp i have hiding.

thanks a lot

[Sugar Magnolia]

I'll tell you what my pistol does when feeding the tank. Typically it'll pop. Sometimes one pop, sometimes a few quiet pops. It usually only pops loudly if a snail gets too close to it's burrow. It comes out of it's burrow searching for the food too.

[CloruroDiSodio]

Thanks Sugar Magnolia. I wonder if mantis will do the same thing? I'm just surprised I have never been able to visually spot the "mystery popper"

[romsoccer12]

pistols pop sounds like a piece of glass just cracked

[badwrasse]

I think I read something about they have differant sounds one pops and one clicks or something like that, somthing to look into sorry I dont remember.

have you posted in the pistol/mantis forums

[CloruroDiSodio]

Hi badwrasse, yeah the only problem is that those mantis shrimp I had sounded like that too. Kind of like two billiard balls smacking together. I really hope it's not another mantis, those guys were pretty scary. Yep already posted to the mantis forum too.

[badwrasse]

I hate those little thumb spliters:) good luck!

[CloruroDiSodio]

If you saw the chamber it bashed out of my rock, I would hate to see what it could do to my thumb!! Seriously, you could see the "channels" on the chamber wall where it cut the rock. Scary

[Sugar Magnolia]

Have you tried taking the rock out of the water and flushing it out with some club soda?

[badwrasse]

is it posible to just take the hole rock out? double up the gloves though :)

[CloruroDiSodio]

Hi guys,

The rock I was talking about was one of the mantis lairs, I got him out long ago. The popping I hear now comes from somewhere deep in my live rock towards the center of the tank, I've tried a couple times to move rock around to try and find it with no success.

[badwrasse]

oh? that sucks, try to bait him out and trap him with a fish trap at night

[pimpinitup6969]

did you hang on to any of the mantis? if you did or if you find another lmk i would be interested in taking it

[CloruroDiSodio]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15464718#post15464718 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by badwrasse
oh? that sucks, try to bait him out and trap him with a fish trap at night

Yep, tried that for a couple of weeks straight, got the X-terminator trap. I think I've caught everything except the mystery guest, at least I still know my pep shrimp is still alive!

[badwrasse]

well the only other thing I know left is take all the rock out but you might have to let it sit in a tub for a while if he is deep in the rock

he might vacate the rock if its out of water throw wet paper towels over it to keep it moist or put rock in nonscented trash bags keep lights off if you do this.

its risky to do this because once he is out you may have to recycle the live rock.

other than that just feel around you might find him then LOL kinding dont do that

[CloruroDiSodio]

Mystery solved by indirect evidence!! Just thought I would post an update on the subject. Went to feed the fish yesterday and noticed a shrimp molt floating around, it is a 1/2" pistol!

[badwrasse]

wow thats why you couldn't find him, hes a little guy

[CloruroDiSodio]

Exactly, from the sound this guy makes I was looking for a 4" shrimp!

[badwrasse]

lol, but the quetion remains where is the little bugger

[CloruroDiSodio]

I know, something tells me I may never find out.

[badwrasse]

i would try if you like fish