Mantis Shrimp?

[jeffhawkins]

Can anybody give me an idea of how I should catch a Mantis Shrimp?

I posted a question a few days ago about three of my fish just vanishing into thin air. I have searched my tank and found nothing. Only once I saw two of my hermits eating what was left of a Chromis. I have lost a total of three Chromis and one Clown now. And only one ( the chromis) I can account for.

The general view when I posted my problem was that I may have a Mantis Shrimp in my LR. My local fish store sold me a trap - this I have been baiting for the last three nights but all I catch are my little Hermit Crabs. As of this morning I have found two of my hermits dead minus their shells. I cant find the shell in the tank anywhere. I know the hermits will swop shells but to not find any shell is just adding to the mistery!

Any help would be great guys....

 

[DensityMan]

Re: Mantis Shrimp?

Can anybody give me an idea of how I should catch a Mantis Shrimp?

I posted a question a few days ago about three of my fish just vanishing into thin air. I have searched my tank and found nothing. Only once I saw two of my hermits eating what was left of a Chromis. I have lost a total of three Chromis and one Clown now. And only one ( the chromis) I can account for.

From a tiny bit of detective work, I'd bet that your current fish deaths could better be attributed to NTS - New Tank Syndrome. I come to this conclusion because your 'signature' states you started out in June of 2004 (only 3 short months ago). NTS is just an ultra-generic name for any one of the many condintions in the early months of a tank that can spell certain doom for a tanks inhabitants. Knowing nothing else about your tank I'd be hard-pressed to advise further, but it would be helpful to know your general water parameters, your filtration methods, how much LR is in the tank and when was it added to last and maybe how large the tank is and how long the damsels have been in the tank for...

The general view when I posted my problem was that I may have a Mantis Shrimp in my LR. My local fish store sold me a trap - this I have been baiting for the last three nights but all I catch are my little Hermit Crabs. As of this morning I have found two of my hermits dead minus their shells. I cant find the shell in the tank anywhere. I know the hermits will swop shells but to not find any shell is just adding to the mistery!

Unless you intentionally purchased a 'piercer' (mantis that hunts/feeds on fish) then it is unlikely that a mantis is causing your current losses. 'Smashers' account for the vast majority of hitchhiker mantises and while they may feed on hermits, crabs and snails they would hide more often than not in the presence of a fast-swimming fish. Smashers come in on live rock hiding in holes and crevices; piercers usually dig burrows in the sand only.

Any help would be great guys....

Hope that helps some...

 

[sdm]

Dito to what densityman said except one more thing: losing a couple chromis is normal-I've only heard of one person who EVER was able to keep all the chromises he bought alive. I myself lost 4 out of 6 in one week. The other two are alive. You should most likely with chromis lose 2 for every 10. This data is assuming you have blue-green reef chromis, or blackaxil chromis. I think it's more like 1 for every 14 for blue chromis, but I'm not sure...

 

[sdm]

BTW, its not that they're fragile, it's just that they vanish... there is an old thread somewhere on it...I think we decided that they go wherever it is all those missing socks go to...

 

[new2u]

all 6 of my cromis are have been alive for 2 months.....

 

[sdm]

hmmmm.....

 

[oddball_from_ac]

try taking out the lr i bet youll find a rouge pistol shrimp