Fast cycle and pistol shrimp

[buccard]

My ammonia went to .5 ppm for about 5 days and nitrites went up but now no ammonia or nitrates...20 ppm nitrates...Seems fast...I didnt use the package...only 50-60 lbs live rock from TBS and 20lbs from LFS...I used 120lbs of live sand in my 90 gallon tank and the bacteria Richard gave me...oh and 7 damsels. The tank has been running for 12- 13 days...

The pistol shrimp is annoying...he pops all the time and the tank is in the LR. He only seems to stick his head out and all I see are those crazy eyes..he has a great hole going deep in the rock with lots of tunnels it looks like...how can I get him out of their..

The crabs are very shy too...I cant even get a good look to see if they are good/bad...I have pulled out a couple of whelks too.

Rock is beautiful and I cant wait to see what else pops up...I need a clean up crew next...I wish I could have done the Package with Richard...its a great price but still more than I can spend at one time...

Overall very happy with Richards generousity...Thanks again Richard.

 

[docklink]

Hmm.. you sure you're talking about pistol shrimp and not a mantis? you'll almost never see a pistol accept in the dead of night and the they don't have distinguishing eyes. Mantis, on the other hand, are active anytime of day and have very active eyes on little stalks.

 

[buccard]

You nailed it...I flushed him out today he is about 1.5-2 inches long and very destructive. I still hear a popping noise from the tank but it is much more muffled compared to what was obviously the mantis...I gave him to my LFS.

 

[g8gxp]

I've got 2 of them in my tank right now. At first i was obsessed about getting them out but they really have gotten a bad rap. They haven't harassed any of my other inhabitants and the way i see it, they are just making my porous rock even more porous.

 

[BarbMazz]

I have a mantis in my 65 display, a mantis in my refugium, a mantis in my 28g nanocube, and I THINK I may have one in my 24g aquapod.

They are smashers, not spearers, so they generally will not bother fish. Keep them well fed and they are good tank inhabitants and really cool to watch! Mine are fat and sassy and travel through the tank carrying rocks and shells for their burrows, and take food from the tongs and then thank me with their googley eyes. I think they're very, very smart and definitely get a bad rap that is not deserved.