a little surprise on my new rock

[ct67_72]

I was looking at my tank today and saw something dart across 2 rocks, I watched and found this guy venturing out.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b307/driftsil40/P1000733.jpg

 

[brooksjat]

I'm not seeing the pic. Maybe use < and > instead of [ and ] in your html?

 

[roka64]

If I am seeing the thing you are talking about, it looks like a mantis shrimp. Are you talking the critter in the middle hole? Assuming that is the front of him.

 

[ct67_72]

thats the one. its kind of hard to get a pic becasue he flys around. are these things ok?

 

[produceb]

aggressive and carnivourous. they will eat about anything

 

[roka64]

If it is a mantis shrimp, you may want to put him in his own tank. They tend to go after other inverts and fish. Here is a little info on Mantis Shrimp http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/prod/216121/product.web, really neat but mean buggers.

 

[ct67_72]

thanks guys, how would I go about getting him out?

 

[Devilishturtles]

Definitley a mantis shrimp. Check out this site on some various trap methods.

http://www.blueboard.com/mantis/pest/catch.htm

Be careful, please. Mantis are awesome, but dangerous. They *can* cut you very badly, take a finger off, etc. No kidding. If you have some heavy duty gloves, that might help just to provide a little extra protection.

If you want to keep it, I'd go with a smaller acrylic tank, since it is stronger than glass. If not, the LFS should buy it back or give you credit for it. They are in high demand by some of the more adventurous hobbyists. Haha.

 

[ct67_72]

great thanks. hes about an inch long and i did some reading, seems like I dont want to mess with him to much in risk of a finger lol. Ill try and get him back to the lfs before anything goes in the tank. and that explains the loud clicking I hear when hes on the rock 8O

 

[kingneptune]

the popping that you hear could be a pistol shrimp...they make loud popping noises at night