The little devil himself

[AltitudeAquarium]

I purchased live rock 3 months ago. I am very pleased with the product and the results. For am aquarium 3 months old, I did have cycling, cyanobacteria and/or green hair algae. I have enjoyed the diversity of life.
However, I have been hearing popping noises. Through research, I have a mantis shrimp or pistol shrimp. Attached is a photo of the devil himself. He is very cute. He/she has been fun to watch putting their house together every night. I would not mind feeding it. However, I can't risk loosing my favorite fish(es). Tonight, I caught a second one by chance. As I am typing, I can hear another one clicking. GRRRH!!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Its a mantis and they will destroy and eat all inverts and ones with shells.

 

[Pistondog]

I purchased live rock 3 months ago. I am very pleased with the product and the results. For am aquarium 3 months old, I did have cycling, cyanobacteria and/or green hair algae. I have enjoyed the diversity of life.
However, I have been hearing popping noises. Through research, I have a mantis shrimp or pistol shrimp. Attached is a photo of the devil himself. He is very cute. He/she has been fun to watch putting their house together every night. I would not mind feeding it. However, I can't risk loosing my favorite fish(es). Tonight, I caught a second one by chance. As I am typing, I can hear another one clicking. GRRRH!!

Way cool
Get a goby for symbiosis.
I think they are harmless to fish.

 

[BackToTheReef]

Sounds like time for another DT for some really cool mantis shrimp!

 

[Snoopdog]

Just curious, how did you catch him? That is important information.

 

[Pistondog]

Its a mantis and they will destroy and eat all inverts and ones with shells.

Ok. Kill it with fire.

 

[JasonK84]

Way cool
Get a goby for symbiosis.
I think they are harmless to fish.

Wrong! This is not a pistol shrimp. This is a mantis. It’ll destroy whatever it wants to.
Here is mine.

 

[PicassoClown04]

Way cool
Get a goby for symbiosis.
I think they are harmless to fish.

NO no no no NO!!!! Not a pistol shrimp!!!!! These guys eat anything and everything in the tank with them. Snails, hermits, fish, inverts, nothing is 100% safe with a mantis. I’ve witnessed one of these bad boys (about 2” long) wipe out a full cuc in a week. I kept one for a while, a buddy of mine at an LFS gave me a full size yellow tang that had died in shipment but was fresh. Told me to drop it in with the mantis and see what happened. Completely disappeared within 4 hours. If you’re gonna keep these, species only tank is the best way to go b

 

[Snoopdog]

Wrong! This is not a pistol shrimp. This is a mantis. It’ll destroy whatever it wants to.
Here is mine.

Correct. Pistol shrimps are pretty cool, even the hitchhiker style. Mantis Shrimp, no, full stop...not going to work with anything other than it's prey.

 

[JasonK84]

Ok. Kill it with fire.

No! Gotta be someone that would love to have it. I built a tank for one and paid money for mine and more to ship it to me.

 

[JasonK84]

I purchased live rock 3 months ago. I am very pleased with the product and the results. For am aquarium 3 months old, I did have cycling, cyanobacteria and/or green hair algae. I have enjoyed the diversity of life.
However, I have been hearing popping noises. Through research, I have a mantis shrimp or pistol shrimp. Attached is a photo of the devil himself. He is very cute. He/she has been fun to watch putting their house together every night. I would not mind feeding it. However, I can't risk loosing my favorite fish(es). Tonight, I caught a second one by chance. As I am typing, I can hear another one clicking. GRRRH!!

What is your plan for them? Surely you can find someone who would love having it. Take it to the LFS maybe? Or keep and build a new tank. Doesn’t have to be big or fancy.

 

[ScottR]

I purchased live rock 3 months ago. I am very pleased with the product and the results. For am aquarium 3 months old, I did have cycling, cyanobacteria and/or green hair algae. I have enjoyed the diversity of life.
However, I have been hearing popping noises. Through research, I have a mantis shrimp or pistol shrimp. Attached is a photo of the devil himself. He is very cute. He/she has been fun to watch putting their house together every night. I would not mind feeding it. However, I can't risk loosing my favorite fish(es). Tonight, I caught a second one by chance. As I am typing, I can hear another one clicking. GRRRH!!

So if I read this correctly.... 3 mantis in one haul??? Goodness. I would never sleep.

 

[PicassoClown04]

What is your plan for them? Surely you can find someone who would love having it. Take it to the LFS maybe? Or keep and build a new tank. Doesn’t have to be big or fancy.

A 10 gallon tank with some softies like a colt coral/Xenia would do it just fine

 

[ashiWaza]

I had never even heard of a mantis shrimp until this post and now I'm very interested lol. Beautiful colors on the 'peacock' version

 

[BackToTheReef]

So if I read this correctly.... 3 mantis in one haul??? Goodness. I would never sleep.

Some people have all the luck!

 

[PicassoClown04]

I had never even heard of a mantis shrimp until this post and now I'm very interested lol. Beautiful colors on the 'peacock' version

They’re very gorgeous!! One of the creatures on my very long list of ‘species only’ tanks I want.... at this rate Im gonna need a fish room

 

[ScottR]

Some people have all the luck!

That’s some luck I would like to get rid of before I stock my tank. Always wanted a mantis only tank though.

 

[BackToTheReef]

That’s some luck I would like to get rid of before I stock my tank. Always wanted a mantis only tank though.

I used to fear the darn things but I've come around to want to keep one in a tank on it's own. (and free is almost never bad)

 

[JasonK84]

A 10 gallon tank with some softies like a colt coral/Xenia would do it just fine

Mine is a 20 but I have a large shrimp. Not sure the OP’s will get so big so a 5 or 10 will get it done for sure!

 

[JasonK84]

They’re very gorgeous!! One of the creatures on my very long list of ‘species only’ tanks I want.... at this rate Im gonna need a fish room

Yup, I finished mine last November! I have to share it with my wife and her hydroponic hobby though.
Just so many critters I must have!