We think we have a mantis...

[Vox]

Hmmm.... As I figured. Thanks for confirming my suspicions.

OK, so my next question is probably a little silly, but what the heck, I'll ask anyway.

We have about.... 25 pieces of LR. And of course, its all piled on top of each other, making a gorgeous rock scape. This mantis shrimp could be hiding in a rock I can see, or indeed, a rock thats at the back of the tank that I can't see. Probably why I'm having such a great deal of trouble locating him. I've tried to convince my boyfriend (its his tank) that we need to pull out the rocks and dunk them til we get him, but he won't til I find which rock he's in.

What I'm getting at is, are there any kinds or rocks they prefer, ie with coral for instance? Do they like being low or high? I hope you see what I'm getting at. I'm trying to make finding him a little easier than standing for 2 hrs every night with a ****ed torch, listening to him mocking me with his click!!!!! Do they walk around the tank at night? Or day?

He didn't bother me too much til he ate my manderin. Now I'm very upset and concerned for the wellbeing of my other fish, and out to find him!!!

What have other you mantis shrimp discoverers found?

Thanks again!

[thincat]

Originally Posted by pat8you

Pistol shrimp will make a burrow under some of your rocks. They always stay down in the sand bed. I have heard that pistols will just click once or twice as well. I really doubt that they would click that many times in a row. From what you have said there is probably little doubt that it is a mantis in there somewhere.

Or 5 or 6 pistol shrimps! LOL

[Jaybird]

yeah, I can confirm, at least with the tiger pistol in my tank, it only clicks once in a while. I've never heard it do more than one. Not the multiple clicks you report. As well, they burrow in the sand, so will be on the bottom of the tank.

Someone mentioned clown gobies being with pistols. That's not true. Clown gobies do not form a partnership with pistol shrimp. There is a group of gobies called shrimp gobies that do (yellow watchman in my case). Each type of watchman, or shrimp goby, has a preferred type of shrimp that it can pair up with. Like with clownfish and anemones, there is no guarantee that they will partner.

Good luck with the mantis.

[pat8you]

What I'm getting at is, are there any kinds or rocks they prefer, ie with coral for instance? Do they like being low or high?

Not that i know of. I kind of doubt it. They just like a nice little cave or burrow where they feel protected. I wouldn't resort to taking out all your rock yet. Depending on how big the mantis is and if you have a nice hole in one of your rocks i've seen shrimp (and fish actually) just stay in the whole if you take the rock out or even dip it in fresh. So there is a change you will go through all that and still not find him. One other thing is you really really don't wanna go sticking your fingers in and around all that rock with a mantis. If they decide to get you it will not be a pleasant experience.

Take some fishing line and tie a piece of shrimp or silver side on the end and just leave it in the tank for a while. Make sure you step back a ways because they supposedly have very good eye sight and my stay hidden with you standing in front of the tank. If you have an actual fishing pole laying around that would be even better. They are more hunter then scavenger so it would probably be even more appealing if you were able to give it a little movement.

Hope that helps

[thincat]

They are not nicknamed "Thumb splitters " for nothing!!!!!!!!!!

[Vox]

Thanks guys!! Appreciate all your advice.

[Jaybird]

I was at an aquarium store last night and they had a mantis shrimp for sale that was huge! Seriously, I've seen people at restaurantes get smaller lobster tails than this thing.

There are a lot of different types of mantis shrimp. Most are really small and fairly harmless....but that guy would take a fish no problem.