Clicking - pistol, mantis or gorilla?

[joec]

Hey all -

I only have part one of my package in now, but I'm getting a lot of clicking from my tank. I've already caught one decent sized gorilla crab, and have seen two or three small ones (which I haven't caught yet).

Even though I caught the one gorilla, the clicking is still happening. What I'm wondering is - do gorillas make the clicking sound? Or should I be on the lookout for a pistol or mantis...

Thanks!

 

[d2mini]

Gorilla crabs don't click.
It's either pistol shrimp (don't worry about them) or mantis shrimp. Eventually the mantis get hungry and they start to come out. In the past I've been able to grab them right off the sand bed with my long stainless forceps. One time one ended up in my overflow so that was easy. Just recently i snagged one with the forceps right off the rocks. I totally crushed his abdomen in the process which was a bit of a bummer.

 

[d2mini]

Hold on to your panties, ladies..... d2mini and his giant stainless forceps just snagged another mantis!

He came out to eat when I fed the tank. Took two tries. Luckily he was still curious after the first try.

 

[jepuskar]

So umm, is this one alive? Or is he in the sewer system to come out 10 years later and terrorize the neighborhood?

J

 

[d2mini]

Right now he's still alive in a small container. Won't be alive for long though if I don't take him somewhere or someone comes to pick him up.

 

[SushiGirl]

I'm confused. joec made the original post, but d2mini posted a pic of a caught mantis.

 

[jepuskar]

I'm confused. joec made the original post, but d2mini posted a pic of a caught mantis.

You're not confused.

 

[Cloudburst2000]

If I lived closer, I would totally take the mantis. I set up an aquarium for the one that came in my TBS rock. My nephew loves it so he is getting a mantis tank from Santa. My bro-in-law will be ordering the mantis from Richard if he can't find one locally.

 

[Cloudburst2000]

Hey all -

I only have part one of my package in now, but I'm getting a lot of clicking from my tank. I've already caught one decent sized gorilla crab, and have seen two or three small ones (which I haven't caught yet).

Even though I caught the one gorilla, the clicking is still happening. What I'm wondering is - do gorillas make the clicking sound? Or should I be on the lookout for a pistol or mantis...

Thanks!

Anyhoo, I got all three in my shipment from Richard and it was only the 15g package LOL Clicking could be either a mantis or pistol.

 

[dwculp]

If it is a mantis your WILL see it sooner or later, probably sooner! Mantis are pretty brave and outgoing and come out in search of food often.

In my first TBS tank I had something clicking for YEARS and never saw it, I assume a pistol shrimp. In my currrent TBS tank I received no mantis but I have had clicking from day one (tank 1.5 years old now) but I HAVE seen a pistol on one occasion.

Basically, if you dont see it, it aint a mantis!

 

[liverock]

Basically, if you dont see it, it aint a mantis![/QUOTE]




And that's a fact!

Richard TBS
www.tbsaltwater.com

 

[daviesri]

I have had a pistol in my biocube for 2.5 years and have yet to see it.

 

[liverock]

I have had a pistol in my biocube for 2.5 years and have yet to see it.

The pistols you don't see are micro tiny...about 1/4 long.....and make a HUGE pop.....with their crusher claw...and they have a symbiotic relationship with sponges...and live underneath and in them on the rock.

Richard TBS
www.tbsaltwater.com :spin3::spin3::spin3:

 

[joec]

Well, after hours of flashlight searching, I finally found a pistol shrimp!! He's living very comfortably under some rock. Maybe 1" long. Per others suggestions, I'll leave him alone.

I am finding other crabs that are similar to gorillas - the hairy part - but no black claws which makes me believe they are something else.

All in all, tons of critters getting comfortable and coming out of the holes.

Still no livestock in the tank, so everyone stays until they start messing stuff up!! :lmao:

 

[d2mini]

Yeah, my tank is like a bowl of rice krispies. :lol: Mostly pistols. I'm still on the lookout for the possibility of one more mantis but who knows. I did find one of those hairy non-black clawed crabs yesterday. Small though so not worried about him yet.

What's really cool is the other day I finally saw some porcelain crabs! Counted at least a dozen. Mostly pretty small, just juveniles. I wonder if they were hiding the last few months or if they just recently hatched?? Luv those guys.

 

[joec]

:lolspin: at bowl of rice krispies!! Haha

I was lucky enough to get a porcelain crab from Richard thrown in... Cool lookin dude!

I also found a really small white crab, very shy of the light - not sure what kind he is. He kinda looks like this guy on the TBS critters page, listed as "unknown white crab". Gotta keep an eye on him to make sure he's one of the good guys.

 

[biomekanic]

Just my opinion, but the easiest way to deal with a mantis is find their lair, and then regularly feed them. I had one in my 75g and had far more issues with hermits than I ever had with my 2.5" long mantis. It was a smasher, so it never really bothered my fish, and only ate the occasional snail. Usually a few days after I'd forget to offer up a piece of krill.

Sometimes I didn't mind the snails either, especially if it was one that decided the place to get was down into the sump, via the drain line. That one got fed directly to the mantis.