Mantis or Pistol???

wakerider017 · 05/14/2012, 08:13 AM

Setup my 120 gallon tank about 3 weeks ago. About 200 pounds of live rock went into it.

Caught 1 large mantis on a piece of rock before it went in the tank and removed it.

Saw two small pistol shrimp no bigger than 1 cm that I allowed in the tank.

My dilema is I've lost about 5 decorator crabs in the past 2 weeks. Seen them dismembered or rolling around dead on the bottom of the tank. I'm wondering if an unseen mantis is to blame.

There is a very loud snapping sound in the tank quite often. As loud as a human snapping his/her fingers.

Is it possible for a small pistol to make a noise this big? Or do I have something else in my tank?

Ways to get it out??

TundraGuy · 05/14/2012, 09:34 AM

Well you found one mantis so it’s possible to of had more than one in your new rock. But yes pistol shrimp pop just as loud as a human clapping let alone snapping ones fingers. How long has the tank been set up now? I have seen crabs die from ammonia spikes and they sometimes fall apart. With my mantis in the past you usually do not see dead crabs or parts of the crabs rolling around in the tank. Mine burry the leftovers but they do leave the shells from hermits and snails cracked open left where ever the mantis troughs it.

Try and track down the pistols you got in the tank and keep an eye on them they can also kill crabs but most stick to shrimp. Good luck in finding your culprit. Please if you do find another mantis post a pix up here so we can id it and maybe help find a home for it.

wakerider017 · 05/14/2012, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TundraGuy

Well you found one mantis so it’s possible to of had more than one in your new rock. But yes pistol shrimp pop just as loud as a human clapping let alone snapping ones fingers. How long has the tank been set up now? I have seen crabs die from ammonia spikes and they sometimes fall apart. With my mantis in the past you usually do not see dead crabs or parts of the crabs rolling around in the tank. Mine burry the leftovers but they do leave the shells from hermits and snails cracked open left where ever the mantis troughs it.

Try and track down the pistols you got in the tank and keep an eye on them they can also kill crabs but most stick to shrimp. Good luck in finding your culprit. Please if you do find another mantis post a pix up here so we can id it and maybe help find a home for it.

Setup approx 3 weeks ago.

According to my testing, there were never any strong ammonia or nitrite spikes.

Not sure how to track the pistols? Since I haven't seen them since I put them in. Sooooooooo many hiding spots in this 120.

Thinking I should set a trap of some sort?? And see what I catch?

TundraGuy · 05/14/2012, 10:27 AM

If you can set up a trap then I say go for it. Let us know what you get. fyi the cheap shrimp traps usually don’t work for mantis on account of them being able to punch holes in them.

wakerider017 · 05/14/2012, 12:16 PM

Speak of the devil.. Hadn't seen any shrimp in my tank since I started it up.. I post about a possible mantis today, then no less than a few hours later I see one cruising the rocks...

I stole a picture from another thread to ID him:

Mine is approx 3cm long. He will be needing a new home if any tampa, fl reefers are interested

wakerider017 · 05/14/2012, 12:33 PM

Trap has been set. Bottle trap with frozen mysis as bait.

wakerider017 · 05/14/2012, 12:59 PM

Just witnessed the mantis dismember something in my tank...

Saw him trolling around on a rock up front (Can't believe how much I am seeing him today!!), he peeked in a hole and something shot out, mantis struck at it, the mystery creature lost a claw, and shot back under a rock seemingly alive. I am not sure if it was a crab of shrimp that lost a claw. Never seen this type of claw before and it all happened way too fast!

WeBrokr · 05/14/2012, 01:37 PM

Man that thing is tearing your tank up! Thats one thing about live rock that I dont like. It looks great but there are a lot of unseen critters that can ruin your tank. Good luck.

wakerider017 · 05/14/2012, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WeBrokr

Man that thing is tearing your tank up! Thats one thing about live rock that I dont like. It looks great but there are a lot of unseen critters that can ruin your tank. Good luck.

Lol!

On a lighter note. My blennny (that also hitch hiked and is around 3") seems to be interested in the mysis shrimp.

He went in the trap and put them in his mouth (not sure if he actually ate them). I thought they were herbivores not omnivores??

Adetia · 05/14/2012, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wakerider017

Just witnessed the mantis dismember something in my tank...

Saw him trolling around on a rock up front (Can't believe how much I am seeing him today!!), he peeked in a hole and something shot out, mantis struck at it, the mystery creature lost a claw, and shot back under a rock seemingly alive. I am not sure if it was a crab of shrimp that lost a claw. Never seen this type of claw before and it all happened way too fast!

Looks like a porcelain crab claw.

wakerider017 · 05/14/2012, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adetia

Looks like a porcelain crab claw.

Good call.

I looked it up and I think you're right..

Those crabs aren't super cheap either... bahhh

FLMantis · 05/14/2012, 02:21 PM

You must have bought your rocks from TBS?

You are going to have few more critters that you have not seen yet. And they will grow and get bigger too.

Dana42078 · 05/14/2012, 04:37 PM

Haha thats my picture! The good thing about a mantis hitch hiker is that they can get rid of unwanted crabs that come with the LR too. Good luck catching him. They are really smart. I always suggest finding what rock he hides in and remove the rock and put it in a 5 gallon bucket of SW. Then entice the mantis out with food and steal the rock in the process before he gets back in.

DanInSD · 05/16/2012, 02:45 PM

From what I understand, doing a quick dip one rock at a time into fresh water (or better yet, seltzer water) will make the stomatopod leap out. Just be ready to do a rapid removal so as not to kill it.

Dan

TundraGuy · 05/17/2012, 05:35 AM

+1 to Dana it’s more fun and less damaging. Plus you may end up with a mantis that you want to keep or trade.
Dan your 100% right this will get the mantis out. But if your wanting to keep it or trade it to someone your likely to harm or kill it. I’d say 90% of people that get a mantis in live rock want it dead. Lol poor little buggers.

wakerider017 · 05/21/2012, 09:21 AM

I got him today!! Scared him into a rock with a lot of holes.. Quickly took the rock out of the tank.

Then let it sit in the open air for about 60 seconds while I filled a small container with tank water.

Then dipped the rock in the tank water, an out he came and into the container. Lid is on and he is caught!!!!!

Might be taking him to the LFS today to see if they want him. He is a nice specimen, so I don't want to just kill him, but I don't have room for him at my home. Hopefully I can find him a home. & hoping the LFS will trade me a few snails for him.. haha

TundraGuy · 05/21/2012, 09:28 AM

too cute. keep him! Grrrrrr

MantisO_o · 05/21/2012, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TundraGuy

too cute. keep him! Grrrrrr

I agree, keep it!

Kharn · 05/21/2012, 03:25 PM

I think its always worth searching for them (if one is in your tank) and then extracting it to keep alone if it wasn't for this I wouldn't have Zuzu the Unique (the 'mutant' G.smithii species) so it pays off! The guy that sold me Zuzu didn't even know how rare this particular stomatopod is and I doubt if he did know that he'd of sold it.

So it always pays off!

wakerider017 · 05/21/2012, 05:32 PM

Meh. The LFS didn't want him to sell. So I donated him for food for one of their fish.

Already have a 20 gallon quarantine & 120 gallon DT up and running.

I have a 10 gallon that is sitting around dry, but I really didn't want another responsibility right now..

At least he was put to good use and not just wasted...

TundraGuy · 05/23/2012, 08:45 AM

Fartin'Gary · 05/23/2012, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wakerider017

Meh. The LFS didn't want him to sell. So I donated him for food for one of their fish.

Already have a 20 gallon quarantine & 120 gallon DT up and running.

I have a 10 gallon that is sitting around dry, but I really didn't want another responsibility right now..

At least he was put to good use and not just wasted...

Hahahaha I can't believe you would post something like this on a mantis shrimp forum unless you are a troll. People wait months to get a mantis shrimp and you are just using them for fish food. Please go away.

Kharn · 05/23/2012, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wakerider017

Meh. The LFS didn't want him to sell. So I donated him for food for one of their fish.

Already have a 20 gallon quarantine & 120 gallon DT up and running.

I have a 10 gallon that is sitting around dry, but I really didn't want another responsibility right now..

At least he was put to good use and not just wasted...

No comment, nothing nice to say.

05/14/2012, 08:13 AM	#1
wakerider017 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: St Pete Posts: 529	Mantis or Pistol??? Setup my 120 gallon tank about 3 weeks ago. About 200 pounds of live rock went into it. Caught 1 large mantis on a piece of rock before it went in the tank and removed it. Saw two small pistol shrimp no bigger than 1 cm that I allowed in the tank. My dilema is I've lost about 5 decorator crabs in the past 2 weeks. Seen them dismembered or rolling around dead on the bottom of the tank. I'm wondering if an unseen mantis is to blame. There is a very loud snapping sound in the tank quite often. As loud as a human snapping his/her fingers. Is it possible for a small pistol to make a noise this big? Or do I have something else in my tank? Ways to get it out??

05/21/2012, 03:25 PM	#19
Kharn Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Brisbane, QLD, AUSTRALIA Posts: 2,214	I think its always worth searching for them (if one is in your tank) and then extracting it to keep alone if it wasn't for this I wouldn't have Zuzu the Unique (the 'mutant' G.smithii species) so it pays off! The guy that sold me Zuzu didn't even know how rare this particular stomatopod is and I doubt if he did know that he'd of sold it. So it always pays off! __________________ MY CREW OF STOMATOPODS Smashers: 4 x G.smithii \| 3 x G.graphurus \| 2 x G.ternatensis \| 1 x G.falcatus \| 1 x G.viridis \| 1 x C.tweediei \| 1x G.chiragra \| 2 x O.scyllarus Spearers: 1 x L.maculata \| 1 x L.sulcata \| 1 x L.colemani \| 3 x Quollastria \| 2 x Harpiosquilla

05/14/2012, 09:34 AM	#2
TundraGuy MantisOholic Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Washington DC Posts: 1,542	Well you found one mantis so it’s possible to of had more than one in your new rock. But yes pistol shrimp pop just as loud as a human clapping let alone snapping ones fingers. How long has the tank been set up now? I have seen crabs die from ammonia spikes and they sometimes fall apart. With my mantis in the past you usually do not see dead crabs or parts of the crabs rolling around in the tank. Mine burry the leftovers but they do leave the shells from hermits and snails cracked open left where ever the mantis troughs it. Try and track down the pistols you got in the tank and keep an eye on them they can also kill crabs but most stick to shrimp. Good luck in finding your culprit. Please if you do find another mantis post a pix up here so we can id it and maybe help find a home for it.

05/14/2012, 10:27 AM	#4
TundraGuy MantisOholic Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Washington DC Posts: 1,542	If you can set up a trap then I say go for it. Let us know what you get. fyi the cheap shrimp traps usually don’t work for mantis on account of them being able to punch holes in them.

05/14/2012, 12:16 PM	#5
wakerider017 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: St Pete Posts: 529	Speak of the devil.. Hadn't seen any shrimp in my tank since I started it up.. I post about a possible mantis today, then no less than a few hours later I see one cruising the rocks... I stole a picture from another thread to ID him: Mine is approx 3cm long. He will be needing a new home if any tampa, fl reefers are interested

05/14/2012, 12:33 PM	#6
wakerider017 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: St Pete Posts: 529	Trap has been set. Bottle trap with frozen mysis as bait.

05/14/2012, 12:59 PM	#7
wakerider017 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: St Pete Posts: 529	Just witnessed the mantis dismember something in my tank... Saw him trolling around on a rock up front (Can't believe how much I am seeing him today!!), he peeked in a hole and something shot out, mantis struck at it, the mystery creature lost a claw, and shot back under a rock seemingly alive. I am not sure if it was a crab of shrimp that lost a claw. Never seen this type of claw before and it all happened way too fast!

05/14/2012, 01:37 PM	#8
WeBrokr Registered Member Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 9	Man that thing is tearing your tank up! Thats one thing about live rock that I dont like. It looks great but there are a lot of unseen critters that can ruin your tank. Good luck.

05/14/2012, 02:21 PM	#12
FLMantis Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 350	You must have bought your rocks from TBS? You are going to have few more critters that you have not seen yet. And they will grow and get bigger too.

05/14/2012, 04:37 PM	#13
Dana42078 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Racine Wisconsin Posts: 603	Haha thats my picture! The good thing about a mantis hitch hiker is that they can get rid of unwanted crabs that come with the LR too. Good luck catching him. They are really smart. I always suggest finding what rock he hides in and remove the rock and put it in a 5 gallon bucket of SW. Then entice the mantis out with food and steal the rock in the process before he gets back in.

05/16/2012, 02:45 PM	#14
DanInSD Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 1,258	From what I understand, doing a quick dip one rock at a time into fresh water (or better yet, seltzer water) will make the stomatopod leap out. Just be ready to do a rapid removal so as not to kill it. Dan

05/17/2012, 05:35 AM	#15
TundraGuy MantisOholic Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Washington DC Posts: 1,542	+1 to Dana it’s more fun and less damaging. Plus you may end up with a mantis that you want to keep or trade. Dan your 100% right this will get the mantis out. But if your wanting to keep it or trade it to someone your likely to harm or kill it. I’d say 90% of people that get a mantis in live rock want it dead. Lol poor little buggers.

05/21/2012, 09:28 AM	#17
TundraGuy MantisOholic Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Washington DC Posts: 1,542	too cute. keep him! Grrrrrr

05/21/2012, 05:32 PM	#20
wakerider017 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: St Pete Posts: 529	Meh. The LFS didn't want him to sell. So I donated him for food for one of their fish. Already have a 20 gallon quarantine & 120 gallon DT up and running. I have a 10 gallon that is sitting around dry, but I really didn't want another responsibility right now.. At least he was put to good use and not just wasted...