Mantis Shrimp Fun!

[theappe]

Well as you might or might not know ever since I started my tank about a year ago Ive take out 3 mantis shrimp. Yesterday while looking at my tank I found another one. The strange thing is that Ive never heard it click before. So....
1) Do spearers click?
2) How do they reproduce cause they keep appearing?!?
3) How would I remove a 1 1/2'' mantis from a burrow he made beneath some base rock without tanking my tank apart?

 

[scsinet]

1. If they have found a food source that doesn't require them to blast through shells or rock, then you won't hear clicking. My guess would be that you have another critter supply in there that they are eating, maybe bristle worms, etc.
2. They are sexual reproducing egg-layers, but it's highly unlikely that the fry would survive, since they can be eaten by pretty much anything. I'd say it's more likely that you are just finding young ones who are growing up.
3. With great difficulty. I've never done it so I'm not the person to tell you.

 

[theappe]

Well the mantis shrimp isnt really bothering me, but Im just scared that eventually he will go after my shrimp or fish or possibly my crabs. :-/ Its crazy how Ive taken out 3 mantis and still have more. Ive must've gotten the whole mantis colony, lmfao!
Thanks for the answers man!

 

[shogun323]

I am by no means a stomatopod expert, but I have one that I have kept for the last 4 months in his own tank. So I can tell you what I know based on my limited experience.
As he gets bigger I believe he will go after your shrimp and crabs. Mine is 4 and a half inches long and his favorite meals are Peppermint Shrimp, Blue Leg Hermits, Mexican Turbo Snails, Nassarius Snails, and he has taken down and devoured a full grown Blood Shrimp.
The clicking noise they make is the impact you hear of thier appendage hitting their prey. So it is loud when they hit a hermit or snail but quite muted when they hit a shrimp. As SCSInet mentioned if it is eating Bristleworms you most likely won't hear a thing. As far as how you can catch him, I have heard of people making traps with pantyhose but I don't know how that works out.
I think it may be harder to catch him if he has plenty of "easy" food. Good Luck!!!!

 

[vanquish]

I know they make traps for pests like bristle worms, and i have seen some for mantis shrimp too. Search online retailers for mantis shrimp traps.