The little devil himself

[AltitudeAquarium]

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

Well... I was feeding my Green Clown Goby and my Brittle starfish and the shrimp came out to feed with them. I saw it crawl back into a hole in a small rock. With my daughter as a scout on the hunt, I lifted the rock out and placed into a bucket. Fortunately, it did not escape while my hand lifted it up like a sky hook crane or an abduction by an alien. Ha ha.

 

[AltitudeAquarium]

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.

I tried contacting a LFS and my local reef club MASC. The LFS said no way. I waiting to hear from other reefers. I don't think it would be good to have 2 in my sump.

 

[AltitudeAquarium]

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!

My wife would hold my hand in the aquarium with the shrimp to watch me loose finger or have bloody stump before I can get another aquarium set up. My 90 was already too big for her liking.

 

[stanleo]

My LFS had a mantis shrimp For sale last week and I almost got it for my sump but I was worried he would brake the partition glass. He was super cool though.

 

[AltitudeAquarium]

This one is just a baby monster. It's only about 2 inches long

 

[JasonK84]

I tried contacting a LFS and my local reef club MASC. The LFS said no way. I waiting to hear from other reefers. I don't think it would be good to have 2 in my sump.

I’m surprised the LFS said no. Surely they know people like me who look for the unusual things to keep. Hopefully you get interest from your local group. Would be a shame to kill it.

 

[JasonK84]

My LFS had a mantis shrimp For sale last week and I almost got it for my sump but I was worried he would brake the partition glass. He was super cool though.

I wouldn’t worry about that. More about them breaking the bottom glass trying to burrow down. PVC cave will help with that.

 

[ScottR]

I’m surprised the LFS said no. Surely they know people like me who look for the unusual things to keep. Hopefully you get interest from your local group. Would be a shame to kill it.

They are a very rare find at LFS. Most people want the smasher type and those usually get taken fast. Especially if it’s a peacock. I think I’d take one if I saw it and sump it and build a tank for it later

 

[JasonK84]

They are a very rare find at LFS. Most people want the smasher type and those usually get taken fast. Especially if it’s a peacock. I think I’d take one if I saw it and sump it and build a tank for it later

This is why I’m surprised an LFS wouldn’t take it. They were going to be given this mantis and anything they got from it would be total profit.
My mantis has been so easy to care for. Feed it in the morning. It attacks my long tweezers and grabs the food then retreats to its cave to smash and eat. Almost always see it either at the pvc entrances or roaming around unless it is about to molt. It stays hidden for a couple days during that.

 

[Fatjim]

Is he a smasher or spearer?

 

[JasonK84]

The op says he hears clicking sounds. I’m saying smasher.

 

[I’ma tempermental coral]

SEND THEM ALL TO ME PLEASE!!!!! No joke I will set acrylic AIOs up for each!!! Heck! Send me one! Lol. I’m sure there are others that would love to raise the little devils!!!!

 

[JasonK84]

Someone posted this little video on another thread of mine. I was questioning finding “spears” on my smasher mantis molt. Not only can a smasher bust open shells but this video shows they can also spear fish. Nothing is safe with a smasher mantis!

 

[JasonK84]

This one is just a baby monster. It's only about 2 inches long

Any luck finding someone to take the mantis?

 

[Cell]

Can you keep anything else at all with mantis shrimp? Will they take down predator fish? Large fish?

 

[Sump Crab]

If this is fl rock some of the clicking is more than likely harmless pistol shrimp. I would not assume more mantis unless confirmed through sight. Good luck.

 

[JasonK84]

Can you keep anything else at all with mantis shrimp? Will they take down predator fish? Large fish?

I’ve heard starfish fair well in a mantis tank. I’m about to try a couple damsels. They are in QT now and almost ready. My mantis is missing an eye and is kinda clumsy most of the time. I keep mine well fed and I’ve had an astrea snail in the tank that it hasn’t messed with (yet).
I don’t know how a large predator fish would do? My mantis is 6.5” so it would have to be a bigger tank than my 20 gallon mantis tank to have a big enough fish. I’m hoping my healthy quick moving damsels do ok. I know it’s a gamble but the were $5.99 each and they too are murderous little devils!

 

[AltitudeAquarium]

Any luck finding someone to take the mantis?

Yesterday, I hand delivered the innocent and cute creature to an unsuspecting LFS like Gizmo the Gremlin. The LFS stated "it's so cute". "What harm can this little shrimp do?" I said "can I get store credit?" I walked away snickering like the little devil himself.

 

[AltitudeAquarium]

If this is fl rock some of the clicking is more than likely harmless pistol shrimp. I would not assume more mantis unless confirmed through sight. Good luck.

So far I have caught 2. I have only heard the clicking from the back of the tank. My wife just shakes her head and says I am creepy, while I am using a flashlight and shining it on the rocks for signs of movement. Maybe it is just a pistol shrimp...one could only hope.

 

[Sump Crab]

So far I have caught 2. I have only heard the clicking from the back of the tank. My wife just shakes her head and says I am creepy, while I am using a flashlight and shining it on the rocks for signs of movement. Maybe it is just a pistol shrimp...one could only hope.

I have a FL hitchhiker pistol in my tank and I hear several loud snaps and pops per day. good luck!