Do pistol shrimp eat barnalces? or do i have a mantis?

[tlouie]

Do pistol shrimp eat barnalces? or do i have a mantis?

My barnacles are perishing fast, at least a couple a day.

I know i have about 10 pistol shrimp, probably 1/2" to 1" long, but I have never seen a pistol eat a barnacle.

Do I have a random mantis roaming my tank? It must be small b/c I haven't seen it yet.

I haven't lost any fish, hermits or snails yet, at least not that i know of.

Rock is TBS rock if it matters

 

[hmpit_ags2006]

I have a pistol in one of my tanks and no barnacles are missing. I think you have a mantis. And from what I hear TBS is notorious for mantis. HTH
-Glenn

 

[njmar1]

I think that new article on RC Magazine shows the barnacles getting snacked on by a N. Wennarae...

 

[ATLDrtybird7]

My G. smithii absolutly loves barnacles... last week he managed to eat at least 30 of them. he just pounds them and they shatter... my guess is that you definately have a mantis.

 

[tlouie]

dammit, i can't find my mantis

i took out every rock in my tank, and tried using a FW squirt to flush them out, no mantis.

The only things i keep finding are my 20+ pistol shrimp.

Damm where is my mantis.

How big does a mantis have to be to take out a barnacle?


I'm tried of seeing white patches of barnacles missings.

 

[ATLDrtybird7]

Haha, mantis are so frustrating to try and get out of a tank. He is probably deep inside of a rock somewhere. I wouldn't say mine is any larger than 3 inches... probably arouns 2.5 or so... still small. There are a bunch of posts about techniques to catch mantis shrimps in aquariums, you might try one of those methods, although they don't always work... they are pretty smart. But don't try sitting in front of your tank with a net waiting to see him swim by, because they are a lot faster than you would believe.

 

[ReefRob]

Recall I was going to ship you my mantis when I caught it since you thought you didn't get one but I still haven't managed to catch one alive! One died upon extraction using soda water and I've got at least one left.

Do you see barnacle fans floating by in the tank? That is what your mantis is doing. I have a large pistol shrimp and he doesn't bother anything.

You've definitely got a mantis.

I've tried all the trapping methods described here but no luck (except for the sucking on the hose one but I think that may a joke for the gullible ;-)

Good luck. I hear him clicking but haven't seen him in weeks. Still have lots of barnacles left though ...

 

[tlouie]

Hey Rob,

I would still be interested in your mantis, how big is he?

I have a divided tank setup to house two or three mantis if i wanted to.

Thanks

ting

Recall I was going to ship you my mantis when I caught it since you thought you didn't get one but I still haven't managed to catch one alive! One died upon extraction using soda water and I've got at least one left.

Do you see barnacle fans floating by in the tank? That is what your mantis is doing. I have a large pistol shrimp and he doesn't bother anything.

You've definitely got a mantis.

I've tried all the trapping methods described here but no luck (except for the sucking on the hose one but I think that may a joke for the gullible ;-)

Good luck. I hear him clicking but haven't seen him in weeks. Still have lots of barnacles left though ...