Is there a way to tell if I have a mantis or something else?

[fresh]

Hi all,

I have just set-up my 72gal reef recently. When I first introduced the rocks, I was able to catch and dispose of a big mean looking crab.

I added 3 chromis and a week later I added 2 clowns. Right after I added the clowns, I noticed that 2 of the chromis are hurt, one on his eye/forehead area, and the other in the tail where the tail was looking brownish.

Both of those chromis died the next day, and I was only able to find one of the bodies that stayed on the sand for a day and then disappeared.

The third chromis is now looking hurt too right on the forehead and the side of the body.

I keep hearing clicks almost every 10 minutes, but I also have some clams' looking things which are probably bi-valves (if that is what they are).

The question is: Is it easy to find out if you have a mantis or not? How can I do that? Will the soda-bottle trap work if/when I find him?

I have aptaisia in the tank as well and would like to introduce some peppermint shrimps to eat it, but don't want to do that until I remove the mantis, because I really don't feel like losing another $20.

How much damage should I expect to have on the clowns?

Will I forever not be able to set this system up the way I would like it to be?

I really want to introduce more fish and corals, but what is the point if the fish will be eaten by whatever is inside the tank, and the corals will be suffocated by the aptaisia?

HELP

fresh

 

[Agu]

My standard reply is to feed whatever predator you suspect is in your tank. Rubberband a piece of shrimp or krill or other meaty food to a rock and drop it in the tank after lights out. I tie fishline to the rock so it can easily be pulled out every morning.

After a couple of hours check the tank using a flashlight with a red lens. Might take a few days but eventually you'll spot the critter(s).

This accomplishes a few things. It helps to determine if you have a predator and if so what kind. It reduces aggression because the predator is well fed. It trains the predator to come to free food , which will eventually be in a trap .


jmo,

 

[fresh]

Thank you. That is a good idea with very good purpose(s). I will try it tonight.

 

[fresh]

I just realised something last night while trying to follow what Agu suggested.

There is only one problem with the proceedure described above, and that is hermits, bristle-worms, and other inhabitants will get to the food much faster than the mantis will!!!

Since he is very shy and doesn't want to show his face, it takes way less time for all other animals to get to the food while he was probably watching!!!

What should I do now?

 

[onlysdad]

I have a couple thoughts for you.

First, I caught two mantis shrimps. Traps did not work. What worked was patient observation until the shrimp was spotted, then watching until it was on an easy-to-remove rock, then lifting the rock out into a waiting bucket. In one case, my mantis was already in a hole in the rock; in the other case, he quickly retreated into a hole when I removed the lights to lift out the rock.

Second, I have a 20 gallon that contains things I'd rather not have in display tanks. It has a quarter-dollar-sized crab (unknown species), a mantis shrimp, and an Atlantic Hairy Triton (carnivorous snail). It also has a few aptasia anemones. The other evening, I put a small piece of shrimp into the tank to feed whatever got to it. After drifting around in the current, one of the aptasias grabbed it (even though it was a good half as big as the anemone). The next morning, the aptasia was gone. I hypothesize that the crab or the mantis dispatched it to get the shrimp. It would be an easy thing to try.

Good luck.