Registered Members don't see these ads. Register now it's free!
10-19-2000, 09:35 PM
|
#1
|
|
Plankton
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Phila, PA
Posts: 11
|
Mantis
I know this topic is a real perennial here, but I just needed some clarification, because I couldn't really answer my question by looking at the archives. In a shipment of LR I unpacked and added to my 30 gallon reef tank, I noticed a 3/4" dark gray shrimp, what I thought to be a mantis. It didn't make any snapping noises, but I figured that normal since its still in the process of acclimating to my tank. In looking at pictures of mantis shrimp, I notice mine isn't as colorful, and the critter's claws are pointing more straight down than like a praying mantis. Could this be a pistol shrimp? Anyone have any thoughts on this? Should I worry about this being in my small tank? Anyone have any mantis or pistol shrimp picture links other than the ones that were already posted in the past? Anyway, thanks in advance.
|
|
|
|
Registered Members don't see these ads. Register now it's free!
|
|
|
|
|
10-19-2000, 10:21 PM
|
#3
|
|
Kaizen
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Reno, NV USA
Posts: 277
|
As usual FD, full of good info, I had the problem of a mantis, it did not start causing havoc for 2 or 3 months after I got the rock. If you think its a mantis, and you think you might want to keep other things alive in the tank, GET IT OUT NOW! From my personal opinion that is. I know that RAZ would kill for it, but then again, it would have to survive shipping for her (which she would gladly pay for) if you can get a pic, and post it here, it might help with others input.
Steven
|
|
|
|
|
10-19-2000, 11:31 PM
|
#4
|
|
Little Fishy
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Springfield, Oregon, USA
Posts: 170
|
Hi Trendsmash!
Definately try to get a pic...most likely what you have is a 'pod of some type...if you look at them they look a lot like mantis shrimp. They are completely harmless.
Raz
|
|
|
|
|
10-20-2000, 09:18 AM
|
#5
|
|
TRT Staff The Mominator
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: Just South Of Seattle
Posts: 10,496
|
Not all mantis are colorful...the small one in my tank was dark grey/brown in color. The colorful ones, like the peacock, just seem to be more photogenic 
------------------
Reefkeeping is my life; I can't afford a hobby too! |
|
|
|
|
10-20-2000, 08:20 PM
|
#6
|
|
Little Fishy
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: waukesha , wi, usa
Posts: 54
|
I just pulled a small black mantis out of my tank. Never seen a black one before tho. if you are not sure what it is get out of the tank and wory about what it is later. If its safe you can always put it back in later.
Dave
[This message has been edited by shred5 (edited 10-20-2000).]
|
|
|
|
|
10-21-2000, 11:29 AM
|
#7
|
|
Little Fishy
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Mukilteo, WA
Posts: 141
|
I just added sand to my tank last night and I had thought I had a small greyish shrimp in there that darted. I have no idea where it called home, so while my live rock was out, I dipped each one in club soda as I heard they will pop out immediately on a club soda dip ... well, no mantis shrimp poppped out. So now I am not sure what to do, all of the rock is back in, I guess I am in a holding pattern here until I get signs of it in there again.
I rarely hear any popping noises in the middle of the night unless it is a hermit crab hitting the glass. I do hear the occasional noise that doesn't quite sound the same as the shell hitting the glass. I just don't know and I don't know where to look next, so I have no choice but to wait it out I guess. |
|
|
|
|
10-21-2000, 11:40 AM
|
#8
|
|
TRT Staff The Mominator
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: Just South Of Seattle
Posts: 10,496
|
If it's a very small one you just may not see it until it gets a little larger. If this is practical, you might want to try this: Don't feed the tank for a few days, then when the tank lights are off, illuminate the tank with room lamps, enough for you to see but not too much to spook critters, use a baster to blow some brine shrimp around the base of the rocks. You might see it pop it's ugly little head out so you can isolate which rock it's in.
Good Luck~
~Alice
------------------
Reefkeeping is my life; I can't afford a hobby too!
|
|
|
|
|
10-21-2000, 12:21 PM
|
#9
|
|
Little Fishy
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Mukilteo, WA
Posts: 141
|
Alice,
If it is small you may not see it for a while, but what about it's audible habits, would it click like crazy at night or would it be silent or what?
|
|
|
|
|
10-21-2000, 12:46 PM
|
#10
|
|
TRT Staff The Mominator
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: Just South Of Seattle
Posts: 10,496
|
I heard mine popping on occasion but not enough to locate it. The popping noise is from when they attack prey and I don't think this guy was big enough to have inflicted much damage yet. I lost a snail or two, though. I have a Pistol Shrimp now and the sound is different...not sure how to explain it.
------------------
Reefkeeping is my life; I can't afford a hobby too!
|
|
|
|
|
10-24-2000, 09:30 AM
|
#11
|
|
Plankton
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: East Lyme, CT 06333 USA
Posts: 9
|
I have a similar problem. My rock has been in the tank about 3 months - and I just saw a mantis (2 inches or so) last week. That was the only time I saw him and I haven't lost any thing except a bunch of nassarius snails. I have taken each piece of rock out and poured club soda (or tonic water - is that okay too??) in all the holes I could find - but didn't get no mantis shrimp out!
Another thing... Do they burrow in rock? I have a piece of rock with a hole facing down - there is a pile of what looks like dust or crumbs under the hole that looks like he was excavating - that's the hole I doused with club soda last night with no luck...
Does club soda (or tonic water) hurt the rock and livestock on it?? Should the rock be rinsed in DI water before returning to the main tank?
Tanks!
Sushifan |
|
|
|
|
10-24-2000, 02:53 PM
|
#12
|
|
Little Fishy
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: waukesha , wi, usa
Posts: 54
|
Yes rinsing your rocks in club soda is bad. Actually anytime you rinse your rock in anything other than salt water can be bad. Even rinsing them in salt water that aint the correct ph, temp, salinity etc can be bad. How much damage is done depends on how long or much they were subjected to. Ussually you remove the peice of rock that the shrimp is in and work on that rock only. It takes patients and a lot of watching but ussually you will see him sooner or later. The last one I caught I had seen him then I lost were he went. Then two weeks later I saw him clawling on the side of the rock. I scared him so he would go to the nearest hole then I grabed the rock and threw it in a bucket. I poked in the hole for a while and he just came out and fell in the bucket. If the shrimp does not come out that way then I sometime hold the rock over some salt water (with the hole just barely in the water) and the shrimp will try to get to the water. Then if that dont work I put a strong powerhead up to the rock if there is a back door to the hole and try and blow him out. That really works well most of the time. Last resort is fresh water or carbonated water.
dave
|
|
|
|
|
10-24-2000, 10:24 PM
|
#13
|
|
Guest
|
I would try dipping in high SG water around 1.030 or so before using club soda or FW dip, if you value whats on the rock 
------------------
I thought I was me, but we were wrong
email: geeflipr@internetcds.com |
|
|
|
|
10-25-2000, 08:01 AM
|
#14
|
|
Plankton
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: East Lyme, CT 06333 USA
Posts: 9
|
Tanks, Doug and Dave,
Yea, I thought carbonated water might not be the best thing. I will be patient, as you suggest, Dave, and try and find out where he lives. I want to add some more rock (currently 44 lbs in a 55 gal) but I wanted to get him out before I added more hiding places. I already have a 15 'quarantine' set up that will be his home.
FWIW, the rock I dunked seems okay - little polyps and feather dusters are back out which made me feel better.
SusiFan |
|
|
|
|
