Mantis? Or Pistol?

Katie217

Katie217

Superstar Fish
#1
Jul 15, 2006
2,494
5
0
Florida
#1
Lately, I've been hearing this LOUD clicking comming from my tank. Its more like a loud SNAP! It happens often (several times daily)...
What could it be? I know its not hermits hitting the glass because that has a different tone to it, and obviously not as loud. It seems to be comming from under/inside a rock. :confused:

But heres the thing...
The other day, I lifted up my GSP to move it around to get more flow (just had to change the angle of it slightly) and from under it, something about half an inch, RAN out and under another peice of LR. Once it got under the LR, I hear a SNAP. It was kinda greenish/clear, but since it moved so fast it was really hard to see. Could it be a little mantis? Or a pistol? Or was the thing I saw just a large pod, and the snapping is from something else? :confused:

ITS DRIVING ME NUTS!!

And also, if I wanted to kill this thing, how would I do that? Fresh water in a turkey baster and shoot water at it? :eek:
 

ram man

ram man

Superstar Fish
#2
Apr 16, 2005
1,441
4
38
33
Arizona
#2
Could be from a number of things, could be a mantis pistol heater, or rattly powerhead. Why would you want to kill it? If its a mantis or pistol you could sell it and use the money for coral frags. I have never scene a green pistol shrimp before. Every mantis I have kept has been some shade of green. But there still isn't enough info to tell what it is. Has it been killing anything? If not I don't see why seem so eager to catch it, whatever it is, at half an inch it can't really harm anything.
 

Katie217

Katie217

Superstar Fish
#3
Jul 15, 2006
2,494
5
0
Florida
#3
Its not the heater or rattly powerhead or any equipment at all. It IS comming from inside the rock somewhere.
And the reason why I'd kill it if it was a mantis is because cant they harm corals/fish?? and potentially crack glass!!
 

ram man

ram man

Superstar Fish
#6
Apr 16, 2005
1,441
4
38
33
Arizona
#6
Wow, 2 of the biggest myths about mantis' in one post. No, a hitchhicker species will not crack glass, and no, they do not harm corals. Fish are only eaten when there are no hermits or snails to eat and when the mantis is very hungry. Mantis shrimp are very lazy animals and would rather go after a large pod, hermit, or snail than take the time and energy to take down a fish. Check reefcentral if it is a mantis, there are always tons of canadians in the mantis forum looking for them, apparently hard to come by out there i guess.
 

ram man

ram man

Superstar Fish
#10
Apr 16, 2005
1,441
4
38
33
Arizona
#10
Pretty hard to mistake a pistol from a mantis IMO.

Mantis


Pistol


Oh yeah, then there are these that people seem to love freaking about about.
"OMGWTF I GOTZ A BABY MANTIS!!!1!!1"



For any Future people that think they have a baby mantis, The typical size people say is "1cm or so" when a mantis is 1cm it is in a larval stage that is close to impossible to rear in a tank even when you are trying.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.