For all potential mantis keepers

try not to put ur finger in as well... you maybe missing out of onee of ur finger by the time u take ur tank outta the tank lol
 
i found one hitch hiking on a coral i purchased. Im glad he never made it into my tank. He slipped out of the rock on the way home from my LFS. From there, he went straight to the drain....
 
I have a stupid question, new to this hobby, have heard alot about the mantis, but what exactly do they look like, so how would know if I ever got one in a shipment or anything, pictures I have seen are not clear. Thanks
 
Just got a 3-4" Peacock from a LFS in SD, first one I have seen for sale in a while so I grabbbed him. I had been researching them and was very excited to come across it. Still nervous regarding the glass breaking but I hear its rare and when highly agitated. we shall see and I'll post pics when it roams. BTW great info on the site. thanks
 
Could it be a Mantis Shrimp?

Could it be a Mantis Shrimp?

I recently set-up a three hundred gallon tank with live rock. I then added several damsel and clown fish. (very small ones)

Every day it seems that every day one fish disappears. I can not find any remains and the fish all appear to be healthy.

Could I have a Mantis Shrimp that came in with the live rock. Do they leave any evidence that I could look for?

Thanks for anyones help!
 
Well if you here clicks then there might be a good chance you got one or a few. Also in a tank that big if there are a lot of hiding places they might be seeking shelter from the other fish.
 
DIY mantis and other critter trap.

DIY mantis and other critter trap.

I saw the plans for this some where and if I find the link I will come back and post it. But all you do is get your typical 20 oz or so water bottle cut the top off right where it stops tapering and becomes the same diameter of the rest of the bottle, then take that end you just cut off the funnel and stick it in to the bottle, use a little silicone or hot glue i guess would work and wah lah. A peice of fresh shrimp or hell sacrifice a damsel (J/K) and sink that puppy to the bottom and if all goes well you catch the little bugger and send him to me. :) I want t have a mantis shrimp tank and have mantis wars! A bucket full of those in saddams cave would have been funny to watch.



::Edit found it::: Tampa bay saltwater had it!

http://www.tampabaysaltwater.com/images/mantistrap-websize.jpg
 
Mantis shrimp are awesome but only in a tank of their own(obviously). As far as breaking tanks, it happens, but rarely unless its provoked or can see something outside the tank and wants to get to it. A friend of mine had one in a side by side tank made of acrylic and it chiped its way through to get to the fish on the other side.And that was 3/8". Remember they have arguable the fastest strike in the animal kingdom, the speed of a 22 bullet. But they are also fascinating. Their eyes are also one of the most advanced in the world. They see 112 different colors whereas we see only 3. They can see anything in infrared for example, or see the world as we see it. Just never forget that fishermen dont call them thumbsplitters for no reason. They also become quit tame after a breakin period, like cephlopods.
 
I believe that it would have to be a fairly large Mantis to break a tank. They DO pack a hell of a wallup though. Mine is about 1 inch and he hit me, no blood or bruising, but if he was bigger, I could see it cracking glass. Everything I have read about them says they strike with the force of a .22 cal. bullet. Speed is an entirely different story, they are VERY fast, but not as fast as a bullet. Mine just kicks back and watches the outside world from his favorite hole in his rock. When he starts moving around, I feed him various foods. They are pretty cool!
Bill
 
I got some in my live rock from Tampa Bay Live Rock.
I got two adults, one green and one red and set them up in a ten gallon tank. A few days ago, the sun was shining thru the glass and WOW! about 200 babies. They are really very pretty and they can move very fast.

I feed them a little raw shrimp, or silversides and they seem to be happy. There are several crabs in the tank also and they coexist. One astrea snail got blasted. Big hole in his shell and picked clean.

I have had several small ones in my 125 gallon reef since December and they haven't bothered anything in the tank. I suppose when they get bigger they may be a problem, but if they do I'll just catch them and find them a new home. I feed them regularly so they tame up pretty well. I have even fed them by hand. (carefully) :)
 
i just caught a mantis that was in my reef tank, it`s still quite small about 2 inch, he must have been in there for about 6 month and i`ve never noticed it. I just caught it in the corner of my eye whilst feeding pearing from a little whole in the live rock.
I tryed all the tricks under the sun to catch it no look, in the end i had to take the rock out and flush water through it untill it fell out.
Its just a plain brown one with green bits here and there not very colourful but even so its now got its own 4 foot tank lol before it got big enough to let me really know it was there.
 
Oop's, I may have to eat my words. I turned up the heater a bit in my ten gallon mantis tank. Several hours later my wife heard a pop and saw smoke coming from the tank. The glass was broken at the bottom of hangon glass heater. I am not sure if the mantis broke it,but my next heater is going to be submersable and have a heat guard.

PS, the mantis and crabs survived with no apparent injury if you don't count the afro :)
 
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