Found three Mantis in m y new Nano - What to do?

chrisbenavides · 05/04/2006, 02:38 PM

I just finished setting up a new nano tank and noticed three little mantis shrimp swimming around the tank. What should I do? Can these harm anything? Why do they have such a bad rep?

I am only planning on keeping mushrooms and maybe some Xenias and a Firefish om this tank.

Thanks!!!

AdidaKev · 05/04/2006, 02:40 PM

Once the mantis get bigger, they'll prey on any fish you put in the tank and will probably prey on you every time you stick your fingers in there! They can be very nasty to other livestock. If you don't want to keep any fish, you could be okay leaving them in there. Otherwise, remove them as soon as you can!

chrisbenavides · 05/04/2006, 02:42 PM

I won't be putting any fish in this little nano for a while, and there isn't much rock in there right now, so it shouldn't be hard to get rid of them. How? With my hand? They are about 1/4 inch in size.

Any comments?

ambaratur · 05/04/2006, 03:15 PM

You don't want to grab them with your hand - they have a powerful left hook that could leave you in pain!

Though I have never done it I would presume a fish net would probably work if you could catch them in it. I also know they make specific mantis traps for catching the ones that are too difficult the normal way.

techreef · 05/04/2006, 03:35 PM

I've seen pictures of peoples' fingers sliced open from mantis shrimps attacking their finger. I would not take them lightly, no matter what size they are. I've also read that the whacking variety (vs. the spearer variety) regularly break pieces of rock off with their club arms, and have broken through plastic cages. Don't underestimate them and play it safe. Good luck! They're smart little buggers!

funman1 · 05/04/2006, 04:07 PM

I have heard reports that mantis can break tank glass if they strike it just right

Cutiewitbooty · 05/04/2006, 04:20 PM

they will also eat your cleanup crew

Jeremy Blaze · 05/04/2006, 04:33 PM

Are you sure they are mantis shrimp? You usually do not see them swiming around in a tank.

Can you get a pic?

chrisbenavides · 05/04/2006, 10:50 PM

well the three "mantis shrimp" died. You see, what happen was that I just setup a nano tank, using some sand from both my saltwater tank and some live rock from my reef tank. When I added the live rock to the tank I noticed that suddenly some three little guys the size of a 1/4 or maybe bigger started floating and swimming. They did look like small mantis. I checked the SG and it was at 1.32. So this might have killed the Mantis shrimp, and this might explain why they were swimming about. They did not like the SG I guess. Anyways....

fareforce · 05/04/2006, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jeremy Blaze
Are you sure they are mantis shrimp? You usually do not see them swiming around in a tank.

Can you get a pic?

Mine swims around all of the time.. He likes to swim, and wait until I am working on my sump so I am bend over under his tank, and then.... POP!! Just to scare me.. He see me jump, and continues swimming, and digging.

chrisbenavides · 05/04/2006, 11:20 PM

If anyone so happens to have picture of their mantis (small), please post one. Thanks!!!

dead beat reef · 05/04/2006, 11:35 PM

You got three mantis shrimps? Not bad they go for about
30 or 50 $ each. Mantis shrimps will not harm corals
soft or hard. They will kill and eat almost anything else.
Check out the fourm on RC. The L/R I got came with one.
Set it up in a 12 gal aqua pod. More than worth the time.
Great house keeper.lots of personality. dbr

old salty · 05/05/2006, 05:28 AM

In a Clint Eastwood voice - I once seen a mantis shrimp take a man's head off.

Agu · 05/05/2006, 08:10 AM

Lots of pics of Mantis shrimp,

Dr Roys Website

rustybucket145 · 05/05/2006, 09:33 AM

They sound like amiphods to me. If so your SG probably killed them. Amiphods are good for aquariums and fish will readily feed on them.

chrisbenavides · 05/05/2006, 10:42 AM

These do not look like Amphipods...they look like Mantis Shrimp (dead ones)

guyguerra · 05/05/2006, 09:46 PM

Here's a picture of the nasty little buggers! Pulled this one out of my 230 and kept him in my 50 for a while.

Ken-21 · 05/05/2006, 11:25 PM

They are BAD! If you can find the rock they live in take it out and dip it in fresh water, the shrimp should fly out of the rock then you can put your rock back in the tank. Make sure there are no corals on the rock.

EricBrian · 05/06/2006, 07:26 AM

Here is one:

05/04/2006, 02:38 PM	#1
chrisbenavides Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Laredo, TX Posts: 1,897	Found three Mantis in m y new Nano - What to do? I just finished setting up a new nano tank and noticed three little mantis shrimp swimming around the tank. What should I do? Can these harm anything? Why do they have such a bad rep? I am only planning on keeping mushrooms and maybe some Xenias and a Firefish om this tank. Thanks!!! __________________ ChrisBenavides Current Tank Info: 55g sw tank, Remora skimmer, powerfilter, 260w PC lights, 50 pounds live rock, 100 pounds sand, etc.... \| Seahorse Tank (3 H. Kuda, 2 Pep.) 30g tall, skimmer, 130w PC lights, HOB Penguin filter, 30 pounds Fiji and Tonga branch l.r., 4 inch sand bed.

05/04/2006, 02:40 PM	#2
AdidaKev Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: NA Posts: 624	Once the mantis get bigger, they'll prey on any fish you put in the tank and will probably prey on you every time you stick your fingers in there! They can be very nasty to other livestock. If you don't want to keep any fish, you could be okay leaving them in there. Otherwise, remove them as soon as you can! __________________ ... Current Tank Info: NA

05/04/2006, 02:42 PM	#3
chrisbenavides Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Laredo, TX Posts: 1,897	I won't be putting any fish in this little nano for a while, and there isn't much rock in there right now, so it shouldn't be hard to get rid of them. How? With my hand? They are about 1/4 inch in size. Any comments? __________________ ChrisBenavides Current Tank Info: 55g sw tank, Remora skimmer, powerfilter, 260w PC lights, 50 pounds live rock, 100 pounds sand, etc.... \| Seahorse Tank (3 H. Kuda, 2 Pep.) 30g tall, skimmer, 130w PC lights, HOB Penguin filter, 30 pounds Fiji and Tonga branch l.r., 4 inch sand bed.

05/04/2006, 03:15 PM	#4
ambaratur Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Flagstaff, AZ Posts: 776	You don't want to grab them with your hand - they have a powerful left hook that could leave you in pain! Though I have never done it I would presume a fish net would probably work if you could catch them in it. I also know they make specific mantis traps for catching the ones that are too difficult the normal way. __________________ "God is dead." - Nietzsche "Nietzsche is dead." - God Click my red house for my 125 gal. tank build thread. Member of Northern Arizona Marine Aquarium Society (NAMAS) Current Tank Info: 125g AGA MegaFlow - 150lbs Fiji live rock - 50g DIY sump/fuge - Tunze 9010/9015 Skimmer - Eheim 1260 - 2x Seio 1500 - 5x 80w IceCap T5 Retro - PhosBan Reactor 150 - AC Jr. Controller - Typhoon III RO/DI - Mixed Reef

05/04/2006, 04:07 PM	#6
funman1 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Roseville, CA Posts: 4,898	I have heard reports that mantis can break tank glass if they strike it just right __________________ Professional Pyro: NO REALLY; I get PAID to blow stuff up!! ~Steve~ Current Tank Info: 12G NANO

05/04/2006, 03:35 PM	#5
techreef Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Montclair, NJ Posts: 1,046	I've seen pictures of peoples' fingers sliced open from mantis shrimps attacking their finger. I would not take them lightly, no matter what size they are. I've also read that the whacking variety (vs. the spearer variety) regularly break pieces of rock off with their club arms, and have broken through plastic cages. Don't underestimate them and play it safe. Good luck! They're smart little buggers!

05/04/2006, 04:20 PM	#7
Cutiewitbooty Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Alaska For 18 Years, Now Cape Coral, Florida Posts: 2,795	they will also eat your cleanup crew __________________ WARNING: Taking my advice may result in personal injury and/or jail time. ~Amber~

05/04/2006, 04:33 PM	#8
Jeremy Blaze Former Reef Addict Join Date: May 2003 Location: New Washington, IN Posts: 5,864	Are you sure they are mantis shrimp? You usually do not see them swiming around in a tank. Can you get a pic? __________________ Trust me my friend, the names are not important at all. I've own hundreds of different zoas and palys and don't know the name of a single one. In my opinion, they are a waste of valuable time. Mucho Reef

05/04/2006, 10:50 PM	#9
chrisbenavides Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Laredo, TX Posts: 1,897	well the three "mantis shrimp" died. You see, what happen was that I just setup a nano tank, using some sand from both my saltwater tank and some live rock from my reef tank. When I added the live rock to the tank I noticed that suddenly some three little guys the size of a 1/4 or maybe bigger started floating and swimming. They did look like small mantis. I checked the SG and it was at 1.32. So this might have killed the Mantis shrimp, and this might explain why they were swimming about. They did not like the SG I guess. Anyways.... __________________ ChrisBenavides Current Tank Info: 55g sw tank, Remora skimmer, powerfilter, 260w PC lights, 50 pounds live rock, 100 pounds sand, etc.... \| Seahorse Tank (3 H. Kuda, 2 Pep.) 30g tall, skimmer, 130w PC lights, HOB Penguin filter, 30 pounds Fiji and Tonga branch l.r., 4 inch sand bed.

05/04/2006, 11:20 PM	#11
chrisbenavides Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Laredo, TX Posts: 1,897	If anyone so happens to have picture of their mantis (small), please post one. Thanks!!! __________________ ChrisBenavides Current Tank Info: 55g sw tank, Remora skimmer, powerfilter, 260w PC lights, 50 pounds live rock, 100 pounds sand, etc.... \| Seahorse Tank (3 H. Kuda, 2 Pep.) 30g tall, skimmer, 130w PC lights, HOB Penguin filter, 30 pounds Fiji and Tonga branch l.r., 4 inch sand bed.

05/04/2006, 11:35 PM	#12
dead beat reef Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: New Mexico Posts: 279	You got three mantis shrimps? Not bad they go for about 30 or 50 $ each. Mantis shrimps will not harm corals soft or hard. They will kill and eat almost anything else. Check out the fourm on RC. The L/R I got came with one. Set it up in a 12 gal aqua pod. More than worth the time. Great house keeper.lots of personality. dbr

05/05/2006, 05:28 AM	#13
old salty Genius Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: The Island of Misfit Toys Posts: 3,131	In a Clint Eastwood voice - I once seen a mantis shrimp take a man's head off. __________________ "The man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man who reads nothing but newspapers." Thomas Jefferson Current Tank Info: Out of the marine aquarium hobby

05/05/2006, 08:10 AM	#14
Agu Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Sarasota, Florida Posts: 30,279	Lots of pics of Mantis shrimp, Dr Roys Website __________________ Less technology , more biology . Current Tank Info: 30 gallon half cube and 5.5, both reef tanks

05/05/2006, 09:33 AM	#15
rustybucket145 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: valdosta, ga Posts: 3,707	They sound like amiphods to me. If so your SG probably killed them. Amiphods are good for aquariums and fish will readily feed on them. __________________ 400gals of various tanks in the same system. Current Tank Info: 2 175w MH, 2 VH0 Actinics, Lots of Live Rock, tons of copepods, a Fat Mandarin Goby, Niger Trigger, Yellow Tang, Falco Hawkfish, Bi-Color Pseudo, numerous soft, SPS and LPS Corals

05/05/2006, 10:42 AM	#16
chrisbenavides Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Laredo, TX Posts: 1,897	These do not look like Amphipods...they look like Mantis Shrimp (dead ones) __________________ ChrisBenavides Current Tank Info: 55g sw tank, Remora skimmer, powerfilter, 260w PC lights, 50 pounds live rock, 100 pounds sand, etc.... \| Seahorse Tank (3 H. Kuda, 2 Pep.) 30g tall, skimmer, 130w PC lights, HOB Penguin filter, 30 pounds Fiji and Tonga branch l.r., 4 inch sand bed.

05/05/2006, 09:46 PM	#17
guyguerra Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Naples, Florida Posts: 701	Here's a picture of the nasty little buggers! Pulled this one out of my 230 and kept him in my 50 for a while. __________________ "A man with a watch knows what time it is, a man with two watchs is never sure" Current Tank Info: 230 gal Reef

05/05/2006, 11:25 PM	#18
Ken-21 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: On the edge of sanity Posts: 140	They are BAD! If you can find the rock they live in take it out and dip it in fresh water, the shrimp should fly out of the rock then you can put your rock back in the tank. Make sure there are no corals on the rock.

05/06/2006, 07:26 AM	#19
EricBrian Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: DC Posts: 679	Here is one: