aiya....

[ProjectSeahorse]

well today... went to get my mantis shrimp.... haha.... the fish owner that mantis shrimp does not slash fingers and all that -_- and i know she is not tryin to cheat me or anything cuz when she net the mantish shrimp.... she grabbed it with her hand:eek2: doesnt the shirmp suppose to stab her or something like that? anywayss..... i left my shrimp in the bag too long.... it was in the tank in the bag for like 2 hours.... i was really busy and i had to go somewhere.... will it die? it curled itself like a ball, and when i put him in he was like upside down. He tried to flip it back but didnt... so i had to flip it back to itz feet with my net. It has been there.. moving itz head when i went to see it... will it die? itz whole body collapse on the sand with his head up.....

 

[MJI]

Dont think you left it in the bag excessivley. I recenlty travelled 3 hours with a mantis, as long as it was packed sensibly, it should have been fine.

Sounds like this could have been an acclimation problem.

How did you introduce to your tank, and what are the water parameters?

 

[ProjectSeahorse]

hmmm geez..... i completely forgot about that.... are they super sensitive about the water parameters and all that things...?? if they are im screwed.....

after a while it went into the cave i have made it for it. But hmmm today morning when i check him he was out of the cave... he was sort of like layin there..... and so is he now... just layin there..... i think itz gonna die... =(

 

[SoKaL ReeFiN]

hmmm geez..... i completely forgot about that.... are they super sensitive about the water parameters and all that things...?? if they are im screwed.....

How exactly did you aclimate the little guy??

 

[jjrock]

This might sound like an obvious question, but do did put him in a "marine aquarium" right? i.e. - with salt?

JJ.

 

[Pebbles]

Yikes. I hope its a salt water tank!!!
If its laying on the sand that doesn't sound so good.
They tend to be somewhat suspicious. One of mine will sit and watch me watch it for long periods of time but stays in close proximity to its bolt hole. They have excellent eyesight and will respond quickly to food or threats.
How long was your tank cycled?
Mantis shrimps are notoriously difficult to kill. The one I now have in my 10 gallon lived in a sump for a year. I would think the water quality would have to be pretty off to kill one.
Did you try to feed it?

 

[ProjectSeahorse]

*sigh... yes it is a salt water tank( i used to keep seahorse in there ) ......arrrr.... i feel like a failure.... Its dead... my mantis shrimp is dead.... itz not even about how much this shrimp is or anything.... i just feel bad. I should have done more research on them before i start keepin this little guy. I feel bad because i havent seen anything dying for quite a while now....i thought im an expierenced marin fish keeper yet i cant keep one single shrimp alive more then a week...... now hmmm if im to go and buy anothe mantis.... what should i watch out for?? should i add any supplements to my tank? plants?? anything elese? arr.... i feel so bad.... itz just a mantis shrimp.... itz a hardy shrimp... some pplz view it as a pest and yet i cant keep one alive when others tries so hard to kill them but couldnt....

 

[Isaari]

You haven't told us if you acclimated it properly. Crustaceans generally need to be acclimated slowly because they're extremely senstive to rapid changes in PH and salinity.

When I worked at our LFS, any shrimp, crabs, starfish etc were put into a cup with the water they arrived in and then we dripped in the system water for about a half hour to slowly acclimate them.

That's not to say they'll always die if you don't, but I'd be most suspicious of the acclimation than anything else.

 

[MJI]

Ditto Isaari.

Hey, Seahorse, haven't been long on this SIG forum but these guys are cool, they aren't gonna flame you. Let us know how you did things, and we can help you better for next time.

As said, crustaceans are more sensitve to acclimation than other critters, so it may well be that - it may well not be either.

Give us the details and we'll help as best we can.

 

[ProjectSeahorse]

LOL of course i know these guys wont flame me =) they are nice.... sorry i got so emotional in the reply that i forgot to tell u guys how i put the little guy in. I hmmmm left it in the bag in my tank for like 3 hourse before lettin that little guy out. I should have add some of my water in the bag first huh? I thought it was hardy so i didnt really think that much. Basically I left the bag in the tank for 3 hours and i net the shrimp and put it in the tank. do you guys think my water paramater has problem?? I never check them.... I do regular water changes and I usually look at the stuff in my tank to determin if my water is good or bad.... but the problem is that the tank was empty and i didnt check the water paramater.....i havent use them like for years... and i dont think i have any right now..... i will just put some seaweed in the tank and try mantis again i guess..... well hmmm the dead mantis is in a plastic bag full with water frozen right now. I will prob keep it until i get a new mantis shirmp..... well hmmm..... *sigh.... still feel like a big loser =(

 

[njmar1]

Yeah, gradual acclimation is what these guys need, as do snails. Amazing to see these guys survive in other situations and get knocked off so easily by this or household solvents. Boy, did I freak when my maid pulled out some Windex and start to clean the tank.... (((

 

[Pebbles]

The only other suggestion I have is make sure you're dosing with the proper iodine solution. Although the lack there of shouldn't kill your shrimp quickly I believe crustaceans need small amounts to assist with proper molting/etc. I dose in very small amounts. .
As to the acclimation idea I believe its always better to acclimate slowly with a drip method. This being said I still dumped mine surrepticiously in the tank.
One last thought how gently was the Mantis shrimp removed from its tank at the store? If it had molted recently its shell may not have hardened sufficiently. A sudden grab might be enough to squeeze organs that shouldn't be squeezed too hard.
I'm very sorry for the loss of your shrimp. I'm very attached to mine too.