Well the name newbies sure is accurate. I had never heard of this kind of shrimp before but now I am afraid that I will have some nightmares over them. My LFS suggested that I have one of these due to the condition of the hermit crab shells laying on the bottom of the tank. I have figured out that I have probably have somewhere between 100 - 200 of them in varying sizes, mainly very tiny. What do I do. I currently have some blue and red leg hermit, snails, 2 sexy shrimp and 1 fire shrimp, as well as, about 15 corals that are all doing very well but are covered with these little guys. The tank was set up in April and has been doing great but now what???
manits shrimp infestation
- Thread starter newbies
- Start date
DAHansen
Member
They're tiny crustaceans that eat detritus and fish food. They are good things, generally speaking. Most new tanks will have an explosion of them early on. It's a sign that things are going well. They're good little cleaners.
You still may have a large/adult Mantis though. Were the hermit crab shells broken?
You still may have a large/adult Mantis though. Were the hermit crab shells broken?
tippMANn98
Has been struck by the ban stick
The picture that vargas put up is a mysis shrimp, I have had 4 or 5 "outbreaks" of these since tank was setup a year ago, I would say def. one large mantis, pistol shrimp DO NOT break shells and what not, they use their large claw to "snap close" so fast that a small bubble is generated, then It pops and sends a shockwave to stun fish/shrimp/etc. Mantis Shrimp just BREAK it, hit it with a force that is equivalent to what I have heard to a .22 bullet.
the mantis is your culprit.....trap em!
here is a pistol shrimp for reference, this is mine, taken yesterday. He doesnt bother anything at all, only about an inch or so long.
the mantis is your culprit.....trap em!
here is a pistol shrimp for reference, this is mine, taken yesterday. He doesnt bother anything at all, only about an inch or so long.
fishnu
Member
Looks like Hellboy.
My comment about Pistol Shrimp was based on the noise, not the cracked shells.
tippMANn98
Has been struck by the ban stick
He is totally awesome, no goby pair, so he is basically TOTALLY blind, but he was out eating last night, he would come out slow, there was a hermit in front of him, he crawled ontop, tryin to figure what that was, sat there, and runs back to his hole, this continued for 15 minutes or so....
Cassette87
Well-Known Member
Just remember to be careful where you go poking fingers and such.. those guys can do some damage....
BEELZEBOB
Well-Known Member
you most likely do not have a mantis shrimp.
majority of the speies found as HH in LR, are still in the larval stage at 1/4".
Stay away from that LFS:apint:
Triggerjay
Well-Known Member
This is a mantis:
Jason
Jason