Please help! Mantis problem

[liquidcowboy]

The last couple days, the clicking noise from my tank has gotten out of control, and this morning I wake up to find 2 of my new fish half eaten! How can I catch this guy and get rid of him? I know about the plastic bottle trap, but have had no success with it in the past. Any ideas and suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[JokerGirl]

Are you sure your fish didn't just die? More smashing mantis shrimp are not piscivores, and that would be the clicking that you're hearing. I'd say you have something else in your tank attacking things, or your fish are dying naturally.

If you had a smashing mantis, the most obvious loss would be your snails and crabs rather than fish.

[born]

The death of the fish could very well be from the mantis, usually I a fish or so right before my peacock starts to molt. At one point i lost 3 fish in a matter of 3 days.

I think that there are Mantis Shrimp catching traps at LFS's maybe go searching for one.

[young doz]

not to mention being half eaten isnt a 'natural death'

[JokerGirl]

not to mention being half eaten isnt a 'natural death'

If you have a well established clean up crew, a fish can be recycled within hours...

[liquidcowboy]

I had a good cuc, but they are disappearing as well. I have removed the rock that we believe he is in, and so far everything is intact and no clicking has come from the tank at all.

[EaZy DuZ iT]

Looks like you got a mantis. I have a 3 inch mantis shrimp. I placed 13 little hermit crabs. In 3 days there is only 5 left, no remains of it shells either. Hes probablly killing them and burrying them underneath the sand if he gets the munchies later

[young doz]

If you have a well established clean up crew, a fish can be recycled within hours...

very true