Mantis shrimp discovered

[Drew]

I have discovered a 2-3 inch long mantis hiding in a cave in my fish tank (I can see it through the glass).

Will this hurt the other things in my tank?

how do I catch it?

Why am I finding millions of types or organisms in my tank, the LFS said the LR was cured!

[Lucifer]

They can kill your fish, but if you have not lost any, leave it alone.

If you want to get rid of it then locate the rock that it homes in and remove it from your tank. Soak the rock (if there are no corals on the rock) in freshwater. The shrimp will come out.

If this dont work, then smash the rock to get to it.

Having lots of life in your rocks is good. That is why they call it live rocks :)

[wombat1100]

Are they the shrimp that break aquarium glass?

[Drew]

From what I've read the large ones can tap through the glass. But this is a very small one.

None of my fish are hurt or missing, the shrimp sleeps/ lives underneath a piece of live rock in a cave I made for my tang.

He burrowed into the sand and then pulled a shell over his hole, but kept coming back out to sit in the cave. I worry that if I lift the live rocks I will effectively have to re arrange my entire tank as it is under one of the key support rocks to my reef.

Will he just run away when I move the rock?

[Batty]

No, he will attack and kill you :)

[Drew]

Dammit why is it that everything in this fish tank can poison, sting or kill me.

[Batty]

I was kidding around

[Lucifer]

If it is not doing any harm to your fish and corals then leave it alone.

I had a 3 inch mantis that smashed my 40l nano. The glass was 6mm thick..... It was my fault for making it angry...... LOL

[Drew]

damn you don't tell me that.. i have alot of electronics within reach if the tank bursts!

he is living under a certain rock.. should i go in there and lift up the rock and try and catch him? or should i just set a trap, i read on the internet cutting a bottle top and putting it inside the bottle, and putting seafood in there that way it will get trapped when it crawls in there. But i have small clown fish, what if it goes into the trap, then the mantis goes in there.

the mantis will be rather happy.

[wombat1100]

I wouldn't risk keeping him myself, I use the coke bottle trap in my planted tank, but i only use it when I'm within eye sight so i can monitor who goes in it.

[Lucifer]

Coke bottle trap is good... that was how I catch mine...

Leave it overnight next to where it hole is

[Drew]

Netted it when it walked across the sand to hide under my hammer coral.

Taken it into quarantine tank to see how big it will grow. Happy days :o)

[Batty]

keep the tank in the bath in case it gets angry and smashes the glass.

Which type is it, clubber or slasher?

[Drew]

the clubber I think. it's the peacock one.

[wombat1100]

NO creature, large or small, friendly or savage deserves to be tortured.
Please don't discuss the torture of anything on this forum Drew or anyone else.
Thank you

[Batty]

I wondered what torcher meant. If you don't want it talk to yor LFS they may take it off your hands, but don't to get anything for it.

[Lucifer]

Please do not torture it.

If no one wants it, give to your LFS.

Otherwise give it a quick death not tortured.

[Drew]

Take it easy guys, it was a joke. I gave it to LFS the next morning. I was making a joke because the thing was such a hassle to try and catch.

Do you really think somebody would torcher and kill an animal ? Maybe if the animal was a terrorist and we needed information to protect the unity of the motherland.

But when there is no danger to the motherland, there is no need!

[wombat1100]

[QUOTE=Drew;10008]Do you really think somebody would torcher and kill an animal ? QUOTE]

There are plenty of sick B#$##&(^ds in this world that take enjoyment in making the smaller and weaker of any and all species suffer for there own demented enjoyment, plenty of pics on the web of pets that have been tortured for no reason.

Anyway as inappropriate as a joke it was I'm glad it was a joke!

[MantisShrimpKeeper]

keep the mantis! they're awsome. if they're well fed they wont attack anything except for barnicles and snails ect. and if the mantis sees you long enough it will realise your not a threat and wont even think about hitting the glass. they are also quite interactive and some are really colourful! and fun to watch scurry around and explore the cracks and holes. DAMIT KEEP THE BEST UNDERWATER CREATURE there is! if you've already gotton rid of it... get another excpet more COLOURFUL :)