mantis lovers, can you help me out???

[champscorner]

i just posted this question in another forum and was directed to the pro's on the subject. About 3-4 weeks ago i purchased some lr from tbs and since have had a clicking noise coming form the tank(more so at different light cycle times)but i can't find a mantis or pistol shrimp. My questions are 1) is there a way to differenciate a mantis from a pistol by noise or behavior only(since i can't seem to find anything) 2) if it is a mantis how can i lure it out and catch it safely

I have already set a trap with shrimp but all i caught was a couple of gorrilla crabs.
Thanks in advance

 

[Alesia]

To the best of my (limited) knowledge, as a general rule the clicks from a pistol shrimp will be spaced out and usually occur only one at a time. The clicks from a mantis will happen in bursts of activity as the mantis chisels through live rock or hammers on prey. I'm sure it's not quite that cut and dry, but that's the general idea I've read.

Notice any busted CUC shells laying around?

 

[champscorner]

No haven't noticed any busted shells and the clicking noises are only happening one at a time. is there anything else that may make clicking noises like that??? do you know of a way to lure a mantis or pistol out? are they night hunters?

 

[justinl]

do you know how to do the bottle trap? those work best if you haven't got a clue what it is.

you cannot differentiate pistols and mantids by frequency of clicks. you can apparently tell them apart if youve heard both on their sounding a bit different but if you havent heard both, dont bother trying tat way.

the only real evidence of a mantis is a visual/pic.

what clicks? visitherm stealth heaters, various shelled things in front of a power head whose shells are knocking the glass, and even clownfish (i still have no idea how they could manage that).

if whatever it is hasn't done any damage, i doubt it would do any later. large mantids are generally pretty noticeable. small ones pose no threat (except to the CUC).

 

[yiliyang]

If your LR came from TBS, it is almost for sure to be a mantis. I got a mantis from a really nice couple in PA who ordered their rock from TBS. The shrimp is very pretty and small. I liked it so much I put him in my 55 gal mixed reef, but I have not seen it since, I hear its clicking all the time, but have not seen him for 2 weeks. If you ever catch yours, keep him in a smaller tank so you can see it at least.

Good luck.

 

[justinl]

good point, LR from tbs very often has a mantis or two in it. almost always N. wennerae, a rather pretty, very active mantis. of course in a bigger tnak it might get lost.

 

[champscorner]

thanks all. i guess i'll just wait around to see if i can spot him, or whatever it may be. i haven't really noticed any problems in the tank. i've just heard horror storys about the mantis in reef tanks. if it is a mantis and i get lucky and happen to catch it wiould it survive in 15gal fuge?

 

[justinl]

bah the horror stories like a 2 inch mantis took out my 6inch clown trigger? HA. most horror stories you hear aren't even physically possible. the most damage a N. wennerae could do in a reef is kill a few hermits and snails (and only the thin shelled ones... turbos for example are safe) and steal a frag or two if they aren't glued down or attached to a piece of LR too big to move (about twice the mantis' own body size).