First we need to know what are mantis shrimps?

They belong to the crustaceans, which belong to the subclass of soft shells.

They are found in oceans all over the world.

They are carnivorous and can eat any animal food.

They are natural killers, smart and composed.

They are hidden masters.

Unlike other shrimp, their naturally strong front claws can be used to do anything other shrimp can't.

They are called mantis shrimp because their appearance and predation behavior are a natural match for land-based mantises.

They have two weapons, the spear and the shield. The spear is the front claws that can be used to pierce soft tissue, and the shield is that the front claws can be used to stun prey by ejection, or to break up hard tissue. Surprisingly, the strike force of the front claw can reach the shooting force of a 0.22 diameter pistol. Its front claws are said to be powerful enough to shatter the walls of an aquarium.

They like to hide and can build burrows in sand, gravel or mud.

They like to inhabit caves, rock crevices, and even shells.

They like to live alone, unless the tank is large enough, or better kept alone.

Mantis shrimp are strong, some species can reach 30 cm. The black and white striped ones we can see can grow to more than 15 centimeters, and the green varieties can grow to more than 7 centimeters. They are not very big, but their strength is amazing. Few people deliberately put a mantis shrimp in their aquarium, usually with live rock.

How do you know if it's in your aquarium?

Stealth guy, when fish, crustaceans, And when the invertebrates begin to mysteriously disappear from your aquarium, leaving no trace, most sea friends have not even found the mantis shrimp in the aquarium, thinking that the mantis shrimp is the culprit, in fact, such a conclusion is too late premature. There are some other species of sea creatures that can also cause such problems. When dealing with mantis shrimp, be sure to find out the reasons, but don't wrong them.

Some people say you have at least one mantis shrimp when you hear taps and clicks from your aquarium; others don't think so, maybe What you have is a gun shrimp, not a mantis shrimp. This requires you to investigate whether it is a mantis shrimp or a gun shrimp.

Although they both use the front claws to make the sound, seasoned enthusiasts can tell the difference. Typically, gun prawns are more prone to making noise. Shrimp generally don't attack and kill fish, but they like to knock on the shells of shellfish to get the soft tissue inside, Shrimp like to build burrows and throw the dug sand near the mouth of the hole, if you find something like In the cave, you can turn off some lights to dim the lights, and watch where you are to see if anything comes out. Guns and shrimps generally hide and come out, and they rarely swagger in open places.

Keeping Mantis Shrimp as Pets

Mantis Shrimp are considered harmful and abominable creatures in home aquariums , in order to divide it and then quickly, so you miss the fun of raising this animal, in fact, its carnivorous and various behaviors are just evolved to adapt to nature, just for survival.

Some aquarists love the mantis shrimp and share their breeding experience with each other. They are sturdy and hard to die, and require very little water quality or filtration. But this doesn't mean that if you want to keep it, you don't care about the water quality. You only need to pay attention to it. It is very easy to raise and does not require special care like other marine life. By the way, no matter what creature you keep, you need to create a good living environment for it, respect for life is to respect life!

As a pest in the aquarium

When many people ask if mantis shrimp are harmful, the answer they usually get is mantis shrimp, get rid of them now!! They are indeed killers. If they are not removed in time, they can kill and destroy other in the tank. resident. Indeed, this is a fact. When you find them, you may have killed a lot of other residents in your tank. If you don't clean them up thoroughly, you may continue to kill all the residents in your tank. But don't panic! When losses do occur, act quickly to grab them to minimize the damage. But catching them is not an easy task, it takes all the effort and time. Be patient and don't let it drive you crazy. The way to successfully complete the task is to capture its nature.... hunting habits! If you decide to buy one as a pet, because of its territorial awareness and hunting habits, it is best to keep it alone, if the tank is large enough, keep some Large-sized sea creatures are also possible. When a mantis shrimp is accidentally brought into your aquarium, you have the right to get rid of it. But it's best not to kill it and give it to aquarists who are interested in raising them.

What do you need to pay attention to when you catch it?

Some aquarists get pinched or cut through the skin while catching it and trying to move it , this needs attention, wearing gloves or trying not to touch it directly is the best way. When you catch it, you can choose to kill or get rid of it, although they are accidentally brought in by live rocks, but killing it cruelly is really not the way, this is not the fault of the mantis shrimp, the mantis shrimp is just in order to survive. Therefore, I suggest that you can consider the following methods:

Specially open up a small tank for separate feeding.

It may seem silly to ask other sea friends if they want them, but there are sure to be sea friends who love them.

You can ask your nearby seawater store if they need them, and you can even sell them.

Anyway, these are a few options to consider before you decide to kill them.

Remember to wear thick gloves when you want to grab them, this is very important, if you get hurt by them, it will not be worth the loss.

If you spot it, wait patiently for it to return to the cave. When you are sure that it has entered the cave, because the living rock may also be inhabited by creatures you do not want to lose, quickly put the living rock into a container with sea water, fill it with fresh water with a syringe, and go to the cave where the mantis shrimp hides. Jet, it will run out quickly, may quickly hide elsewhere, be patient and grab slowly.

You can use sparkling water instead of fresh water for better results.

You can put the live rock in fresh water. Take this time well and don't cause damage to other creatures on the live rock. It should be noted that when placing in the container, make sure that the water completely covers the live rock. You can also use bait to lure the mantis shrimp to slowly climb out, but this effect is not the best. The mantis shrimp will be more patient than you and repeat the game with you. You can also ask some more experienced marine aquarists, their methods will be better. Mantis shrimp is a nocturnal animal, so the best time to catch it is after dark at night. When you see it feeding in an open area, approach it slowly and catch it quickly. This is also a time to test patience, otherwise they will Quickly hide in the sand or run back to the cave.

The natural enemies of mantis shrimp, like cannonball fish.

Buy or DIY your own shrimp trap, or post and ask, there are many experienced aquarists who are good at this.

In conclusion, be careful when capturing and moving it, and be patient.