Mantis Shrimp

[beareef19]

This is my first post hope it works! I've been reading for quite awhile now time to post. I have a 120 gal reef that has been set up now for about 2 mos, 125lbs.live rock from Fla. and marshal Isl. Ihave got a Mantis shrimp that is clicking like mad. Will it damage anything that i put in the tank? Leave it alone or get it out ?

[oceancube]

hey, well if i was you i would go buy a trap for that sucka, he will kill alot of your stuff including fish , inverts and so on and so on, im interested in a mantis if you wanna get rid of it, ive been wanting to put one in a 10 gal. , and see what there like, well hope it goes good removing that guy!!

[Richard]

Last time I had to trap one I just used a tinted glass bottle(either root beer or shiner...can't remember) with a fishing line tied around the top and a piece of krill inside. I just fed the little sucker that way for few days until it got comfortable staying in the bottle. Then I just slowly lifted the bottle out of the water with the fishing line and transferred the mantis to another tank(septic that is ;) ).

[matt]

Beareef:

WELCOME to maast! Are you sure it's a mantis shrimp and not a pistol shrimp? They're the ones known for loud clicking. Anyhow, I'm sure there's someone in our organization that will take the mantis shrimp; lot's of people keep them. Just not in a mixed reef! There are plans for traps on some of the boards like reefcentral; basically they involve cutting a plastic soda bottle and inverting the "funnel" top so that it leads down into the rest of the bottle. Put food in, the shrimp goes after it, can't get out. You can buy traps too; they might be better.

[Sherri]

Welcome to MAAST beareef19! :D

I myself have a clicking when "lights out." I believe it may be a pistol shrimp (please be!!!)...all my fish/shrimp are fine. Going thru snails tho. I'm going to try a few different methods to catch it...

Another good method told to me that I haven't tried yet is to put bait (krill?) wrapped in panty hose and weigh it down (rock?) so that the shrimp doesn't carry it back into the rocks. His claws will get caught in the hose.

The bottle method worked for me on some fiddler crabs that had hijacked some LR I bought. I still have 2 small crabs. Hopefully I'll catch them also. Good luck & welcome again.

AND if I do catch this thing...anyone that wants him before I get to the "septic tank" is welcome to him. ;)

Sherri