snap snap snap snap snap....

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Jason

Aquarium Advice FINatic
Joined
Oct 14, 2004
Messages
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Location
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that's what I heard in my tank this morning.... pop pop pop pop pop. that's the first time I've hear pops that many times in a row. they have been getting progresively louder in the last few weeks and I know where it is because anytime anything gets over this i patch of star polyp I fragged onto a big rock I hear loud pops. Nothing get hit or anything I just hear pops, sometimes 1 sometimes 2 or 3 this morning I heard 5 loud ones not quick though just pop.......pop........pop........ pop..........pop.

All of my cleaning crew is still around and nothing seems to be getting eaten so I don't know if it is a mantis or not. I did see a small shrimp a few months back in the same whole where I think the popping is coming from but all I saw was the tail so i couldn't really tell. I set a trap for about a week and nothing got caught except both of my jawfish everynight so I gave up and prayed for the best. Now the pops are just gettting louder and I kinda know where they are coming from because they always happen when something is over the patch of star polyp.

Does it sound like I need to worry or just let it ride until something happens.

oh yeah I have two problems the rock that the pops are coming from has softies all over it so i really don't want to do a dip and I really don't have room in my tank yo set a trap anymore so what can I do if it is something serious?
 
You can start setting traps and see what you get. You will likely catch a bunch of regular members of your clean up crew at first, but you might find a Mantis suprise :)
 
It sounds more like you have a pistol shrimp. If this is the case, I wouldn't be concerned at all. You can try a trap if you can find room, but I wouldn't get too worried until you notice that someone is getting beat up. Only then would I think it is a mantis.
 
I have read/heard of some disaster stories about setting up traps. If both of your jawfish get trapped, they might be easy prey for a mantis; being trapped and all. You will have caught the mantis, but at the expense of your jawfishes' lives.

I wouldn't want any "popping" from my tank, be it a mantis or pistol.
 
I know I have a mantis. I've been setting and resetting my trap for over a month. I've caught a few crabs but no mantis yet. I've read it can take a long time to eventually get him in the trap. I haven't stocked my tank yet because of this so the trap is a good solution for me.

Oh, also... I've done carbonated dips and freshwater dips of 7 minutes. He still wouldn't come out. I've seen him clear as day so I know he's there. It's so frustrating having a tank that I can't stock. Pray it's not a mantis (no pun intended).
 
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