talk about sticking your nose where its not wanted!

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dionysusjg

Member
Hi All,
I think I just averted a tragedy... I just came home to find my copper banded butterfly, twitching in my tank, with his nose wedged firmly into a hole in my LR! Some powerful little invertebrate had him by the snout and was trying to pull him into the hole (he was MUCH to big to get in though). I tried manually pulling him out with my hand, but I couldn't do it without hurting the fish! He had an immense strength!. So I got a bamboo shish-kerbab skewer and put in in the hole along side the snout and started stabbing around.... whoever it was finally let go, and the butterfly SEEMS ok... I just hope he doesn't have a broken snout, or any internal injuries from my pulling on him!
I'll keep you all updated!
 
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dionysusjg

Member
no idea! I have seen a 5cm mantis shrimp in there as well as some slightly smaller crabs.
I think it is time I hunt that mantis down.

He seems ok, but he's sulking in the back.... He had a couple of nibbles at the nightly feed, so it appears his jaws are still working.... only time will tell, I suppose.... He has a couple on intents on his face at the base of his snout, where his face was being pulled against the rock.
 
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dionysusjg

Member
I only got him on thursday!
He was an outgoing fish from the word go....foraging on my LR the minute he entered the tank.
Just got a little overconfident I guess..
I wonder what would have happened if I hadn't turned up.... The fish was much to big to fit in the little hole... I guess he may have died of stress.... Or would the predator have let go eventually?
 
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dionysusjg

Member
Well... about 8 hrs on and the cbb looks ok... he's still swimming around... havent seen him eat much yet (he was quite the picker originally)... I hope he hasn't damaged his mouth enough to starve!!!!
 
goldenmean

goldenmean

Well-Known Member
dionysusjg said:
no idea! I have seen a 5cm mantis shrimp in there as well as some slightly smaller crabs.
I think it is time I hunt that mantis down.

He seems ok, but he's sulking in the back.... He had a couple of nibbles at the nightly feed, so it appears his jaws are still working.... only time will tell, I suppose.... He has a couple on intents on his face at the base of his snout, where his face was being pulled against the rock.
Click to expand...

If you have some smaller crabs You very may well have a larger crab that you are not aware of. A mantis is not gonna grab and hold on like that.

Speaking of that mantis of yours have you started feeding it yet?
Keep it well feed and he will most likely leave your snails and crabs alone.
I feed mine fresh calamari pieces, fresh shrimp, mysis, krill.
 
Dentoid

Dentoid

Smile Maker
PREMIUM
That must have been frightening! :eek: Look for Gorilla crabs! They're nasty little boogers!
 
stonedfish

stonedfish

Member
I have a reddish brown mithrax that got a hold of my fairy wrasse. I tried to get him free but the crab won. I mii that fish. Hope yours is ok. Thoes are relly cool fish.
 
Jeremy0322

Jeremy0322

Active Member
mythrax crabs will grab small fish?? :scram:

I guess it doesnt surprise me, but should I be worrying about my new TINY six line with him being in the tank?
 
MatthewJ

MatthewJ

Member
I fed my little emerald crab the other day (I normally don't, he just happened to be nearby and gave me those puppy dog eyes) and holy crap, crabs are strong. He got hold of the tool and was wedged in a crack and I could not get it away from him. I'm still a little shocked...I'm guessing he could do some serious damage if he wanted.
 
Jeremy0322

Jeremy0322

Active Member
thats somewhat scary considering I have one and have a really small fish in my tank at the moment, if he eats my wrasse I will punch him...:rocket:
 
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dionysusjg

Member
I'm afraid "Captain Jack" succumbed to his injuries, and I found him at the bottom of my tank this evening :( It is my first loss ever in my tank, and I'm quite upset now! Besides the loss of life alone, he was my second most expensive fish! Oh well :(
He wasn't a small fish by any means... He was a fully grown copper-banded butterfly! Only my regal angel is bigger! It was just the fact that whatever it was caught him by his snout... I think the mistake may have been mine... I shouldnt have pulled on the fish manually. I should have gone straight for the 'stabby' with the skewer... Well we all live and learn... except of course for Captain Jack... who learned a little too late....
 
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dionysusjg

Member
and no Golden,... I havent seen the mantis since that one day! I put out a coke bottle trap last night and all of today to see if I could entice the assailant out, but I had no takers at all! my hermits were a bit interested, but were too big to fit into the bottle!
Grrr
 
lcstorc

lcstorc

Well-Known Member
Sorry to hear.
I would look for a gorilla or other type of crab more than the mantis.
Mantis go for either the smash or stab and then they are done. I've never heard of one pulling food in.
Keep trying with the trap. It took me 2 weeks to tease out the last crab I found. He was hidden in the rocks in my 20g for who knows how long before he was seen. They are very sneaky critters.
 
goldenmean

goldenmean

Well-Known Member
dionysusjg said:
and no Golden,... I havent seen the mantis since that one day! I put out a coke bottle trap last night and all of today to see if I could entice the assailant out, but I had no takers at all! my hermits were a bit interested, but were too big to fit into the bottle!
Grrr
Click to expand...

I am very sorry for your lost.

The coke bottle trap probably wont work for a mantis. They are very smart and will just swim right out.
Now your nasty crabs could get caught in there.
make sure you are using some meaty goodies for bait.
 
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