Saltwater & Reef

Laurel · 02-27-2013, 08:36 AM

I'm not sure how many other people are really interested in the science behind things, but I found this to be pretty interesting and thought someone else here might as well. It was on the Facebook page "I F@^&%$* Love Science." I'm just going to directly quote them.

"The mantis shrimp is one of the most incredible creatures found in our oceans. Over millions of years, it has equipped itself with an arsenal to rival that of any other organism, besting the limits of human technology on more than one front.
Firstly, it packs the biggest punch of any predator, with a sophisticated muscle mechanism allowing speeds in excess of 50mph to be attained. Couple this with the ability to create extreme low pressure behind it's extended arm, causing the water to spontaneously boil, no prey stands a chance. This action releases intense energy, enough to break sheets of glass. For a very interesting TED talk on exactly this, visit:
Sheila Patek clocks the fastest animals | Video on TED.com

That is not all. The mantis shrimp has the most sophisticated and extensive eyes of any known creature. With their unique shape and composition, the shrimp can see in most directions simultaneously, as well as observing more of the spectrum than us humans, both at the infra-red and ultra-violet ends. This excellent asset, coupled with the killer punch, makes the mantis shrimp one of the most effective predators in the world, as well as being one of the most beautiful. The in-depth explanation for this exquisite sight can be found here:
http://scubageek.com/articles/mantis_eye.pdf" -JA

jcolon · 02-27-2013, 09:28 AM

Yep .. remarkable creature's they are. One type will club it's prey to death, another will spear it to death. The Peacock (I think) species is by far my favorite! The colors are just amazing.

Laurel · 02-27-2013, 01:38 PM

I googled "peacock mantis shrimp" and mostly got the guy above in the 1st post. They are pretty awesome. The harlequin shrimp (below) are neat too. There was a pair at my LFS that took all of my strength to not take them home. Mother Nature (or whoever you choose to give credit) is nothing short of amazing!

DiverDave · 03-21-2013, 12:19 AM

Mantis Shrimp,Cuddle fish and Octopus are pretty awesome creatures !

DannyBWell · 03-21-2013, 12:25 AM

Mantis shrimp are awsome their claws are as fast as a .22 calibre bullet

not-pro · 03-25-2013, 01:19 AM

I've said it once, I'll say it again. if I ever put more salt in an aquarium than brackish, it'll be for one of these guys.

ivan_dalmatia · 05-18-2013, 06:56 PM

The harlequin shrimp is cute but all they eat are star fish, pretty expensive meal

Frank220 · 05-23-2013, 04:34 PM

I own one of these actually. Very neat to watch and easy to take care of. I have the zebra mantis (largest of all the mantis shrimp). It builds itself a nice little burrow and sticks it's eyes out and just watches everything all the time

ivan_dalmatia · 05-24-2013, 03:18 PM

Is the mantis in the same tank as the harlequin? If ya, I might consider another tank just for shrimp

mr_X · 05-24-2013, 03:37 PM

I don't like them because they brutally kill things. I like peaceful inhabitants. No, a mantis is much different than a harlequin. Both are predators, however.

Nosaj81 · 05-27-2013, 07:04 AM

ivan_dalmatia · 05-30-2013, 10:56 PM

Ya I got my self a mantis!!!! He's going into a 20 gallon that's cycled for about 2 mounts with about 40 pounds of LR, but no LS! Doy you guys think it will hurt him if I add the sand that's uncured to the tank????