Pistol Shrimp
- Thread starter Digicop
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OP
OP
Digicop
Community Member
I don't have a sump on this tank. It is a biocube 29 with only two clownfish. The rest of the tank occupants are LPS and soft corals. I have read where they can break aquariums. Do you think the Biocube is thick enough to hold this little guy? If so, I will keep him in there.
That rarely ever happens and he's not big so nothing to worry about there. You do have to worry about him killing any invertebrate you put in that tank and potentially killing fish if he gets inspired to do so
U
User1
Guest
The bio cube is pretty well built. I mean they didn't go cheap on the glass. I agree as noted above that it won't be a risk. The only risk is to invertebrates (hermit crabs won't make it for example). Fish is a bit more difficult to say. You don't have a lot of room in the bio cube and its size limits you to the number and size of fish. My opinion this is your weakest link.
I saw the coral list but didn't see an anemone - where do the clowns sleep? If you had an anemone and it let the clowns host I wouldn't worry about it. But again if the mantis is still small you may not have an issue. You can always try and see what it eats, if it takes to the food you add, and keep it well fed.
In the end they are viewed as a pest when not introduced by the hobbyist because of their risk to fish and appetite for invertebrates. But if known you can always work around it. It isn't going to harm your corals.
I saw the coral list but didn't see an anemone - where do the clowns sleep? If you had an anemone and it let the clowns host I wouldn't worry about it. But again if the mantis is still small you may not have an issue. You can always try and see what it eats, if it takes to the food you add, and keep it well fed.
In the end they are viewed as a pest when not introduced by the hobbyist because of their risk to fish and appetite for invertebrates. But if known you can always work around it. It isn't going to harm your corals.
Webslinger
Valuable Member
good luck with that. Sump him he'll kill your favorite fish haha
madweazl
2500 Club Member
Many of the smaller mantis (smashers) wont ever go after fish and dont go after larger clean up crew members either. That looks to be some type of wennerae but hard to tell; those stick to very small prey items. I've had similar in a reef before and absolutely loved them and will add them to my current tank as well. The three I had in the previous tank (haptosquela) would take food from the water column when I fed the fish. The only inhabitant they ever smashed was my fingers when I was working on adding something close to their holes (I'm sure they snatched up pods as well).
Edit: what type of rock do you have? They usually dont make it from Fiji but are pretty common from the likes of Tamba Bay rock.
Edit: what type of rock do you have? They usually dont make it from Fiji but are pretty common from the likes of Tamba Bay rock.
Webslinger
Valuable Member
or a unsuspecting fish when they swim by? the risk isn't worth the reward. You'll see him better in a sump
Chefwheredyougo
Valuable Member
As mad said above, the smaller smashers don't really go for your livestock, especially if they're well fed. It's the guys with the spears you have to worry about
StatelineReefer
Reef Safe With Caution
Definitely a mantis shrimp, and in my opinion, worthy of her own species tank. Try to get a nice clear photo and we can identify her easier.
If you don't want her, try to trade her in at your LFS. Some species are actually very sought after, and live quite a long time.
Not going to say I'm not jealous. I'd have preferred to have a mantis shrimp at one point.
If you don't want her, try to trade her in at your LFS. Some species are actually very sought after, and live quite a long time.
Not going to say I'm not jealous. I'd have preferred to have a mantis shrimp at one point.
madweazl
2500 Club Member
It's not going to kill the fish (provided it's a smaller smasher). A fear of mantis destroying tanks gets perpetuated in the hobby, most of which is baseless. Spearers and largers species, best kept in a species specific tank (or limited inhabitants). Small smashers pose very little threat to anything in the average reef tank.
OP
OP
Digicop
Community Member
UPDATE: I was able to capture him with a baited piece of PVC pipe. I moved him over to a plastic bin with a rock and bio balls until I decide what to do with him. Although, tonight I got up and looked into my tank of the light and saw about six very small mantis shrimp. They are a little bit bigger than the other sand dwellers but big enough to identify. So I may put him back considering I am probably fighting a loosing battle.
