Big scary killers, huh?

[biomekanic]

So I picked up a mantis at Waves a few weeks back.

 

He disappeared, and no signs. No clicking, nothing.

 

I decided to rescape the tank, and lo and behold, I find the mantis.

 

His lair, in a piece of LR was facing the back of the tank.

 

I re-arrange so the lair faces forward.

 

Next day, the mantis has moved out. But! I find his lair under a piece of LR, and it faces forward.

 

I would guess the mantis is about 3" or 3 1/4" inches long, based on seeing it full length and stretched out when I was acclimating it. It's reaction when I try to feed it the 1" long silverside?

 

Terror, pure terror. A few days later, a piece of krill ( about 3/4" long ) provokes the same level of terror. "Get it away from me! Get it away! Oh God! It's going to kiiiiiill me!"

 

Uh huh.

 

We've named him, Chicken Boo.

 

Eventually, I'll post pics.

 

But I guess this means I can get a nano friendly fish, as he has 0 interest in fish. He did take a piece of clam, and after some coaxing, the krill. I did notice that there are fewer hermits in the tank, but only the ones who were about 1/3rd" or less. Apex predator my @ss....

[andy]

It's just trying to lull you into a false sense of security, then when you aren't paying attention BAM and it's no more biomekanic... just postings from your account in the classifieds section, titled "ned lotz uv krabz n shrmps plz plzplz"

 

Watch your back.

[ThePremiumAquarium]

Andy has a very good point. Most of the worlds best preditors are those that are able to provide their pray with a false sense of security. Defiantely watch your back. He has you in his grasps now and you are simply the unsuspecting prey. You may find that in few weeks he decides to change his lair. You will of course decide that you want to move the new lair to a better, more visible location. But before you every touch the rock to move it, you will simply see a cloud of red in your tank. At first you will think, "what the heck is in my tank?" Then you will pull your hand out and bend over to try and see exactly what produced this red pigment. As you bend over,and to your shock and horror, three of your fingers have completely disapeared. Frantically you will try to find them in the tank but will eventually give up and realize that you had been fooled! The next week you will look into your tank and to your suprise you will find an 8" mantis shrimp perched ready for you to try and reposition his lair again.

 

I must say that of all of the nightmare causing creaters of the ocean, the mantis shrimp is definately on the top of the list. With the combination of extreme intelligence, 600 eyes, rabid dog like appetite, and godly agility and strength, your fingers stand no chance. Be very careful. Be very alert. And never underestimate a mantis shrimp.

 

 

 

 

Garrett

[biomekanic]

It's just trying to lull you into a false sense of security, then when you aren't paying attention BAM and it's no more biomekanic... just postings from your account in the classifieds section, titled "ned lotz uv krabz n shrmps plz plzplz"

 

Watch your back.

 

I LOL'd

 

"more hermitz PLZKTHNX?"

[undrtkr_00]

"ned lotz uv krabz n shrmps plz plzplz"

 

 

(Rim)(laugh)(clap)(laugh)(clap)

[CCR]

I want pictures of the missing fingers!!!!!! Or THE HAND STUMPS WILL DO:)

[fishiefish]

lrofl thats great

[CA2OR]

I think we would all like to see pic's. I have heard several people say the same thing about their mantis when they first got him. After a couple months he was their worste enemy.

[biomekanic]

Unfortunately Chicken Boo did not survive my 2nd tank wipeout.

 

Sometime in the future I'll be setting up another mantis nano, but I'm not sure when.

[spectra]

I have a nano with a mantis in it and it is just like chiken boo(laugh) It only eats small snails and will let the big ones do there thing and run around. I have onlt seen it outside its lair once and ither than that just a little hrad pops out everyonce in a while.