Mantis Shrimp

[angelfish]

I am in dire need of some assistance. The last few months I have experienced some dying fish. First it was my scooters, then my lawnmower blenny and now my royal dottyback has died. At first, I was not sure what the problem was so I checked the water quality and all seems so perfect except my Coral Beauty and Bi-color blenny has taken some awful blows to their body which means I must have a mantis shrimp creeping in my tank. Another sign was a popping noise that I hear at night. My heater was acting up so I thought it needed to be replaced, therefore; I purchased a new heater for the tank. Now all is well with my two clowns and banggai cardinal except the other fish that seem to swim low into the lr which have either died or have been attacked. I have pulled out my Coral Beauty and Bi-color blenny and put them into the hospital tank and hope for their full recovery but my problem now is the mantis shrimp. The guy at the lfs told me to either get a trigger, puffer, or a larger wrasse to eat the mantis shrimp. I need some expert advise to know which one of the above will do well with the two clowns and cardinal but will take care of my mantis shrimp. I also have emerald crabs, a cleaner shrimp, and several snails which seem to be disappearing due to possibly a bristle worm but I can't be so sure of it. I am waiting for my 90 gal to cycle before I transfer any live stock to that tank so I'm in a bit of a dilemma. I really need to know if the trigger, puffer, or wrasse is a good route to take care of the mantis shrimp or is there any other route? Please help all my fish are suffering from this attack.
Angel

 

[angelfish]

I have never seen him. I only hear a popping noise later in the evenings which makes me believe it might be a mantis shrimp. Believe me if I could see it and net the little murderer then I would have done that already. I was just going on what the lfs told me that a trigger, puffer, or large wrasses would eat it. I didn't know if anyone else has had success in removing a mantis shrimp from their tank.

 

[veskas]

Triggers or puffers will will make meals of all crabs & shrimp that you have (kinda expensive). Go with a mantis shrimp trap.

 

[angelfish]

I decided to get a large wrasse since the lfs sold the trigger. I have removed all my crabs,snails, and shrimp to another tank until I know that the mantis shrimp is gone. I do plan to keep the wrasse anyway and put him into the larger tank and if he doesn't get the shrimp then the trap will. I have ordered the trap as a backup. Thanks for the advise.
Angel