Heart Broken

ladyhawk

ladyhawk

New Member
So, I have not posted in AGES. Life had been busy and tank life has been super. After years of screwing with this thing, I finally learned to leave it alone and it FLOURISHED! I have so much life (few fish) but it has been a blast to watch everyday for years. New things pop out all the time, even what look like abalone!!
One of the things I notices recently is quite a number of little shrimp. I am guessing they tagged along with some piece of rock from the past. I figured I am not unlucky enough to have Mantis Shrimp twice in one lifetime. Besides, there are so many I would be helpless.
Well, last night I heard the tale-tale tapping on my glass. I pray I am wrong, as I have not spotted one large enough to see the boxing hands, but my heart is breaking. If those shrimp are mantis shrimp, there are entirely too many to deal with and many of the creatures I have watched for years multiplying in my tank will be sacrificed. If this is the case, when my tank is depleted, I will be done with this hobby.
Ladyhawk
 
ladyhawk

ladyhawk

New Member
Well, a lot of time and money have been put into this and I have unfortunately lost quite a few animals in 8 years, stops...starts. But the last 3 I have really gotten the swing of things. The more patience you show and the less you throw in the thing, the more that grows naturally and surprises you.
The thing is, if these are mantis, that will probably be it. I will watch them scarf up everything and then just have a shrimp tank, but I will not try to solve the problem and they will have to figure out how to feed their hungry little selves after they run out of inverts.
Now I am going to live vicariously through others and help them w/ their tanks. I love this site, the aquacultured selection is fabulous. I am an avid scuba diver and I do not like to think about how a lot of these things are caught and what it is doing to the natural habitat,
 
ladyhawk

ladyhawk

New Member
I sure hope you are right. It is a 40 gallon. I didn't think anything of the shrimp, having the same thoughts as you about their breeding. The tapping last night sure brought back memories of my last one though.
If it is a false alarm, I will be very happy as I have so many things living in my tank. Bristle worms, brittle star, some kind of star fish that splits (now I have a LOT), conche, fire fish, leathers, feathers, christmas tree rock, hermies, some worms that spit webs all over, copepods, sponges, all these little shrimp, choraline (sp) algae everywhere, what look like abalone (boy wouldn't that be a kicker!) and much more! Things just appear, I love it! I have sat with a flashlight for hours just for fun and haven't seen what sounded like the tapping of the mantis. I know the tapping of one vs. a hermit clincking along, I just hope it was a fluke.
Thanks for your words of encouragement. I would hate to give up on it as I love it SOOOO much. But, the reason it is doing so well is I leave it alone. I started leaving it alone because I needed to stop spending my grocery money on it.
 
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