manta shrimp

[filefish]

Hi All
I was down at the Sebastian inlet today fishing and collecting when a fisherman next to me hooked a hugh mantis shrimp. He was going to foolishly grab it when I warned him off. Good thing too because it was a slasher. He managed to hook the shrimp in the tail which didn't damage it too bad. I carefully helped get the hook out, and convinced him to give it to me. I would have loved to keep this guy, but I know it would have destroyed anything I put in my tank. So when th fisheman wasn't looking I let it go free. It must have easily been 8" long or better.
I did manage to turn over a few stones at low tide and get some more critters for my clean up crew. Also picke up a few more sea urchins, and tube worms.

 

[addict]

So when th fisheman wasn't looking I let it go free.

When I started reading this I thought it was going to end something like this:
"So when the fisherman wasn't looking, I stuck it in his bait bucket".

Great story... mantis are great little characters for a species tank.

 

[nivek]

Good on you. k going your way.

 

[Montanareefer]

Karma for setting it free!

 

[wooddood]

good job filefish,you should have kept it and sent it to curt lol.

 

[Gina]

Agreed! Curt loves Mantis! Glad to see you let it free! Good job! Karma also!

 

[Curtswearing]

Good job!!!

Whenever they are in a species tank, they are fascinating. My avatar is me looking at an O.s. (peacock) mantis.

Here is some good info for people regarding mantis keeping.

Mantis Care 101

The lurkers guide to stomatopods

 

[Pro_builder]

Curt loves his mantis's lol
Curt, thanks for the great info in the links

 

[jks1]

Great that you released him. If curt was to take an 8"er youd need a steel tank to keep him in lol

 

[filefish]

Wow
I didn't expect such a reponce. Most people have little regard for wild life. I must admit when I go fishing I do use a cast net for bait. But only keep what I need, and throw the rest back. Not all fisherman do this as you probably know. I remember a few months back while fishing at the inlet I saw this guy casting for bait fish and came up with almost a hundred. Instead of throwing back the excess this jeck started trampling the fish to death. It really pissed me off and I had to say something. But, as you might suspect, it fell on deaf ears. At least the sea gulls got a good meal.

 

[Curtswearing]

I'm glad to hear how you reacted and sad to hear how others did.

Luckily, we are only responsible for our own actions and not those of others.

 

[Gina]

I love wildlife! The vet I used to work for also took in injured wildlife and we would treat them and do whatever it took to help them out, then send them on to a rehabilitation center to be released back into the wild.

 

[wooddood]

congrats on your actions filefish we need more people in this world like you.thank you and karma to you.

 

[RogueCorps]

Very good of you to do that FileFish! I think the large spearers over there are Lysiosquillina glabriuscula. Largest recorded size is almost 10 inches...

-Rogue

 

[Brucey]

Yeah nice post and nice replies from everyone. Curt, you may be able to answer this. I have a Mantis in my sump, she comes out most nights from her hole and murders a few stomatella .... she's always leaving the shells around her nest. It's a dead giveaway. LOL. But now and again, she carefully blocks up her hole with a discarded shell (Very clever) and doesn't come out for 2-3 weeks. The sump is lit 24x7 so I'm sure she's not just coming out at night. I usually hand feed her (brave), but she's pretty gentle so long as the shrimp is long enough for her not to consuse it with my finger.
Brucey

 

[Curtswearing]

When she plugs up her hole, she is likely going through a molt and shedding her exoskeleton.

However, please be careful with the handfeeding. I won't put my hands anywhere near a Mantis because you can get a nasty infection from a strike.

 

[Brucey]

Originally posted by Curtswearing
However, please be careful with the handfeeding. I won't put my hands anywhere near a Mantis because you can get a nasty infection from a strike.

Curt, thanks for the heads up
Brucey

 

[Tarasco]

Here's a great article in this month's reefkeeping magazine:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-03/jf/feature/index.htm

 

[EdgeKrusher]

That article was a fun and informative read! Curt can you get us some pics of your manits, if it's not to camera shy, and when you have some time?

Thanks

EK

 

[mick77]

Great article Tarasco!