why would you want a mantis shrimp??

[aquawolf]

That is a good point as well jenglish.

It is also nice to have some company in the bristleworms are your friends camp every once in a while wolfe4372.

[wolfe4372]

Originally Posted by aquawolf

That is a good point as well jenglish.

It is also nice to have some company in the bristleworms are your friends camp every once in a while wolfe4372.

i think they are fun to watch

[Koshmar]

Sorry to get off topic but where can I find some good true info on bristleworms? They seem to share the same situation as mantis shrimps. I have a special place in my heart for organisms that are misunderstood, I would know, I was one of them...

[wolfe4372]

Originally Posted by Koshmar

Sorry to get off topic but where can I find some good true info on bristleworms? They seem to share the same situation as mantis shrimps. I have a special place in my heart for organisms that are misunderstood, I would know, I was one of them...

your a mantis shrimp!?!?!?!

i knew they were smart and hightech but dang! they are using computers now!

[jenglish]

Originally Posted by Koshmar

Sorry to get off topic but where can I find some good true info on bristleworms? They seem to share the same situation as mantis shrimps. I have a special place in my heart for organisms that are misunderstood, I would know, I was one of them...

bristleworms are opportunistic scavengers. I believe people would see a dead fish or coral covered in bristleworms and think they killed it. Many people still fear them but I believe them to be in general a good member of the clean up crew. Now If I see a writhing mass of them I have to ask why I have provided them enough food to have reproduced to that level.

[aquawolf]

That is a good point jenglish. Their population is actually controllable based on how much food is in the tank. If you tend to over feed then you will see a lot more of them than if you only do light feedings and the fish get all the food first. They are very good members of the CUC as they can fit into places to eat detritus that many other critters cannot.

[Koshmar]

No, actually I'm a mass assembly of tardegrades that molted from a stomatopod body. We've finally obtained the ability to combine our bodies into a macro-organism capable of building our own space crafts.
Mars here we come!
Anyway, I'll just check around about the bristle worm thing on various forums. I have received my second mantis shrimp, a juvenile N. wennerae, that is simply amazing. I hand fed him today and it was a great bonding moment. It was so cool to watch him take a little mysis out from my two massive fingers. My G. chiragra has since taken up demolition. She has broken two large sized pieces of LR from one of the large rocks in her tank. So for those who consider a mantis shrimp for a pet, I would recommend keeping a small juvenile smasher first. It provides a nice clean slate to start off on, kind of like a child. If you go for a large smasher, make sure that your bottom is reinforced. Just to be safe, my glass, all around the tank, is 1/2 inch thick. A little overkill but after hearing the sound my chiragra made when hitting that rock, I'm glad I have think glass.

[aquawolf]

Congratulations on your new mantis you highly evolved creature you.

[wolfe4372]

im glad every one just kind of over looked my cheesyness.

[tabwyo]

Originally Posted by morykid69696

mantis shrimp are nasty buggers ive heard of them smashing through their tanks they are parisites to some. i think people want them cause they are unusual and scary they are best in species tanks cause they have a voracious eaters and dont ever EVER stick your hand in there with them they will split your finger to the bone

I like how you equate keeping a mantis with piercing your septum and wearing a mohawk. It isn't all just about the wow factor. Or freaking out your folks.


Just because an animal is odd. Doesn't mean it can't be an enthralling addition to any compitant aquarists collection. I have always found these animals very facinating. And I'd have a few right now if I had had the resources to decicate to them. I have nothing but respect for people who set aside the space, time and the means it takes to care for such a demanding animal. And by demanding I don't mean they have a billion dollar upkeep bill. I mean that, being the creature they are. You need to take into acount their special needs. the fact they are really an apex predetor in their own right. They are a highly intelligent creature, on par with octo. The fact they come froma big ocean with plenty of space into a tiny tank with no space. Territory is a big deal to most animals.

I feel they get a bad rap because they weren't the intended pet. They just showed up as a hitchhiker and did what they did best. I seriously have a hard time killing anything in my tanks. I do have an intended overall vision of what I'd like to see. But a few Aipt's here and there or a lil bubble algae doesn't get my undies in a bunch. If those critters have what it takes to get from the ocean to my tank without any extra care on their behalf. Maybe they deserve a spot in my little slice of the sea.

[chudzikb]

I actually saw one of these shrimp live and in person at That Fish Place in Lancaster PA. For sale no less. They wanted close to a C note for the shrimp. It was posted with correct warnings about its predator status. Was very cool to actually see one alive and not killing MY fish... First time I have seen one for sale.

[Koshmar]

Just so you know, that way people won't flame you later on, they are not considered shrimp. They are distantly related to shrimp/crustations but very distantly. Stomatopods (mantis shrimps) have been around for about 400 million years. If your interested in these guys I say go for it as long as you do your research. They are very undemanding and rewarding to keep. I remember the first time I saw a mantis shrimp, it was a peacock and it captured my imagination. They are amazing animals and fun to watch.

[chudzikb]

No, I would not want one, just very cool to see in real life. I have enough trouble keeping stuff alive without having something hunting in my tank! My luck, one will come with some live rock and I will be stuck. That is how it will happen for me.

[jenglish]

Originally Posted by chudzikb

No, I would not want one, just very cool to see in real life. I have enough trouble keeping stuff alive without having something hunting in my tank! My luck, one will come with some live rock and I will be stuck. That is how it will happen for me.

There is ALWAYS something hunting in your tank! Most of it just requires a microscope.

[Koshmar]

There is one thing you will never be able to kill in your tank.... tardigrades!