Might have a Mantis...

[Nate C]

I have all the classic symptoms - fresh batch of LR.com rock a month or so ago, hearing clicking, seeing lots fewer snails, found a "chunk" of a hermit crab yesterday, and now one of my skunk cleaners has gone missing (at first I thought/hoped he was molting, but its been a week..).

I'm going to try the inverted-coke-bottle trap Monday when I get back into town. Just wanted to post here and line up a home for the mantis ahead of time (assuming I can catch him) if anyone is interested, (free).

Nate C

[LittleFishBoy]

Aquacultured Florida rock is notorious for having mantis. It is very possible that you have one. If you catch it, post it, someone might want it. Mantis shrimp have a certain personality to them and are very smart creatures. (Not to mention their eyesight is pretty awesome). I personally like the mantis shrimp. (even though it once took out my favorite algae eater... my lawnmower blenny) RIP. Good luck in catching it. And as far as the hermit crab.... sure it wasnt just a molt? Just an idea.

[Cube Crazy]

If you catch him, I will be glad to give him a nice home at work.


Let me know,
Dave

[Nate C]

Oh geez I hope he doesn't tangle with my Lawnmower Blenny. I've grown quite fond of "Toro"...

Re: the Hermit - I can always be hopefull it was a molt...

[Nate C]

Dave you are first in line if I catch him.

[Illusion]

If you hear clicking its probably a Pistol Shrimp... I have a mantis trap that you are more than welcome to use Or I could even sell it to you.. Your choice Just come get it LOL... Its the Ultra life Trapem... I kept catching hungry fish so I stopped using it and got lucky and caught my mantis after about 8 months of chasing him... But in that FL rock you probably have atleast 1 if not 2 or 3 mantis... My last batch had 3 if I remember correctly...

James

[Nate C]

James -

Thx for the trap offer. Maybe I can finally get down to Newberg and get that base rock to you Monday, and pick it up then

No idea on the "clicking" vs "snapping" sound... it is only noticable if I am in the same room as the tank. - Someone posted on RC that pistols are usually loud enough you can hear them from the next room .

Mike from LR.com is a heckuva nice guy, but he told me not to worry about "their" type of mantis shrimp, cuz they are not as mean as some others. He said he feeds them by hand in the holding tanks there at the shop.

I've lost enough snails that my algae growth is starting to creep up. My lawnmower has a beer-gut on him now, so I know he's getting his fill.


Nate

[Illusion]

Yeah his Mantis are pretty nice... The pistols depending on if they are babies or not can be really quiet to extremely loud... My 2.5" pistol would wake me up at night and my little .5-1" pistol I can barely hear him by the tank... Suprisingly I never really heard the Mantis when I had them Even when he was out atacking a crab in his own dedicated setup... My guess is if you hear anything at all its a pistol as I never really heard the Mantis and he was in my room in his own dedicated tank after I finally caught the little "Bleep"

hehehe,
James