Mantis shrimp 101

[hwynboy]

I am new to this addiction of SW tanks...after months of research I am finally getting to the point where things are coming together. Im about to get some LR and possibly from TB saltwater I hear that a lot of their rocks come with Mantis shrimps...I have also read MANY posts about people going nuts trying to get them OUT of their tanks.

Are Mantis shrimp that bad for your tank? What do they do that is so horrible?
Is the reason people dont want them is because they can actually smash your tank open? Or do they do other things?

 

[dwarfatize]

You wouldn't have to worry about one smashing you tank open. The reason people don't like them is because They will go after your clean up crew, shrimps, and sometimes fish. I have a friend that had one in his reef for 3 years and never had a problem with it. He kept it well fed and happy until it died. Of course it took out a couple of snails.

 

[MDKyleZ]

I have a mantis tank as well as several in my reef and no problems here...

Kyle