[nmotz]

Originally Posted by NilsRenstrom

I got a mantis shrimp as a hitchhiker back in 2015. It took a while to properly identify him, but eventually i saw him searching for food during dusk feeding... A small, lime green mantis, not more than 2-3 inches long. Always curious and on its toes while feeding.

He lived a long time peacefully in the community with a boxing shrimp, cleaner shrimp and a peppermint shrimp till one day he decided he wanted the peppermint shrimp and just went for it... it was obvious that the other shrimps were alive only because the mantis just hadn't decided to eat them yet. I managed to catch him in a bottle trap and move him to a separate 30L aquarum where he seemed to do well.

When the main display got upgraded in may 2016 (and i grew tired of taking care of two aquariums) he moved in to the sump of the main aquarium, living off the food that was passed down from above. He didn't make much of a fuzz and we started to presume he was dead. We sold off a lot of the leftover rock from a rescape and still didn't find the shrimp. The unsold rock was then put in a barrel with circulation, but no heat or light and put away for a few months. When the last piece of rock had been sold, without spotting the shrimp, i decided to empty the barrel. While i poured all of the remaining water out i spotted the shrimp, well alive and kickin'. He had been living in cold water for the greater part of two months, with no lightning or feeding. Amazed by the hardiness he was, again, moved into the sump and later on i managed to find a suitable home for him... Extrordinary creatures!

wow that is awesome! Wish all mantis shrimp were that hardy, but that is really impressive.