White stuff being "spit" up out of LR & mantis

[JamesR]

I have a big piece of LR in my nano (just added from lr.com) and occassionally see a puff of white looking stuff being shot out into the water coming from a little hole in the lr. I have also heard a few sounds last night (like nails taping on glass). Guessing a manits or pistol shrimp is in the rock somewhere. Any idea if the if the two could be related.

Real curious what shoots stuff out of a hole in the LR?

Thanks in advance.

Also, if I get the shrimp and it's a mantis, anyone want it?

Jim

 

[PumaKrieg]

I would suggest getting rit of it before it breaks your glass. IMO, your guess is right and it might be shooting out sand or pebbles to intimidate. Mantis and Pistol both do what you said and both are bad for your aquarium so it doesn't really matter which one it is.

 

[Fluff]

Pistol shrimps are not bad for your tank. Neither are mantis really. It's all in what you want to have. Not all mantis' are like the one everyone has seen on the discovery channel. You could be seeing puffs of debri from a mantis redecorating but it could also be from a snail or bivalve purging their systems. Nothing I would worry about.

 

[jbro]

That confirms it for me. I have been going nuts with the clicking and the puffs, but I have yet to actually see a pistol or mantis. I can't even pin point the clicking. They must move around fast. My fish are OK, but I'm losing turbos and hermits. Plus, I have pieces of coraline rock all over. I think a mantis. I've read about how to trap, flush, but if I can't even find it, what do I do? I've spent many hours a day & night trying to spot this thing over a month's period. The clicking has gotten louder, so I'm assuming he's growing on the feast of turbos and hermits.

 

[ReefGuru]

I would have to disagree with most people. If the white stuff coming out of the rock is white and thin, chances are it is sperm from a molusk. Most of them will go into mass spawnings if they dry out for a while. Chances are you have an abalone, or a limpet or something along those lines that is trying to reproduce. As for the mantis, it is really easy. Take an old nylon from whoever happens to wear them in your household, and put some mysis shrimp in it (it "smells" better underwater than krill) and place it on the bottom of the tank close to the rock you think it is in (you might have to weigh it down with some pieces of live rock rubble). Sit there with a red light, or just very little light, and wait for it to come out. If you see that it is a mantis shrimp, pm me, and I will tell you how to trap it using a beer bottle (minus the beer, you get to have the better part of that deal).

Andrej

 

[Phyl]

My rock puffs ALL THE TIME! I have something that clicks (single clicks) which is a pair of pistols. The mantis I pulled out (actually care of another reefer who I got a frag from) came out really easily. The puffs are from way up high and I was told it was most likely worms, though I've also seen my bivalves poof a bit. It is really more like debris in my tank (dust, rock particles, etc). It does happen a lot and it in no way affects my water quality. Enjoy your LR.com rock. It will continually amaze you!

 

[Thumper]

Reefguru hit the nail on the head. I have the exact same white stuff apurting out and it's not a mantis.

 

[zuzecawi]

I too have the white puffs, and its definitely an abalone or mollusc that resembles an abalone.

 

[JamesR]

COOL Guys thanks a ton for the info. i won't worry about the white puffs, but will try to catch the mantis/pistol. Bought the xterminator trap today. I'll post pics if i get him and see if anyone wants it if it's interesting.

Thanks,
Jim

 

[jbro]

I agree about the white puffs, but I did just find a pistol shrimp, finally. Now, I have to decide if I want to get rid of it or not. It's a pretty easy choice, because that definitely explains why my marble star had a chunk taken out of him and died, along other inverts.
I just think it's cool to find another hitchhiker, but he's gotta go.

 

[Brad]

I'll offer another possibility on the white puffs. Look for spaghetti worm tentacles...they are very thin. The worm uses them to gather stuff toward the centre. Every few hours, they jettison the stuff!

I like Fluff's advice on the mantis/pistol. Certainly don't do anything rash until you know for sure what you have. If it is a mantis, you'll find out. If you can't even identify what it is, then it is not a problem at this point.

 

[revhtree]

I get white puffs from the LR a few times a day. I have no clicking in the tank!

 

[JamesR]

Thanks a ton, you guys rock! I'm going to sit still unless i see something happening to my tank inhabitants. Hopefully it's just a small pistol shirmp. (BTW, what do they eat? Curious as I have no fish in the tank, so no leftovers will be available.

The white puffs explainations were great. I really appreciate all of you taking the time to post!

Jim

 

[Thumper]

Ok, on the spaghetti worms are they bad or good because I have a lot of what you described and I have been real curious as to what they were.

 

[cmor1701d]

Spaghetti worms are good.