Help with id!

wunderlong88

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Don't have the slightest clue what this is... first time seeing it, pops it head(?) out and pulls it back in when a fish swims too close.
Here is a video on google photos. https://photos.app.goo.gl/3iFE8PCGS7nD7Zng7
I didn't add it directly here because most sights degrade the quality too bad.
Thanks for any help, sorry I was unable to get any better photos...

20260130_082339.jpg 20260130_083254.jpg
 

StartingATank

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Mantis Shrimp. You could either make a mantis shrimp only tank, get it out, or try to keep it with other fish, but it will likely kill them. They usually will eat other crustaceans and mollusks.
 
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wunderlong88

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Mantis Shrimp. You could either make a mantis shrimp only tank, get it out, or try to keep it with other fish, but it will likely kill them. They usually will eat other crustaceans and mollusks.
How do I get him out of 180 gallon tank? Tank has been setup since Jun 25 and he must have come in with the live rock at the beginning. Have never lost a fish, yet. I know where he is at this time but other than trying to siphon him out of his hole, I have no clue how I would catch him and I don't know if siphoning him is futile.

Any tips?
 

LiverockRocks

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If that rock is its home, pull the rock out and use a tong/chop stick/skewer to encourage it out of the hole. Then sump or donate the mantis to LFS. Or set up a species only nano.
You could try setting a bottle trap near home base, but most likely will catch everything else.

In large tanks, a single mantis doesn't cause much harm other than slowly depleting the clean-up crew. Feeding the tank a pre-frozen grocery store clam 2-3x a week is often enough to prolong the clean-up crew.

TBS mantis are smashers whose natural prey are bivalves, crabs and other shrimp.
 

Tikki

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Mantis Shrimp. You could either make a mantis shrimp only tank, get it out, or try to keep it with other fish, but it will likely kill them. They usually will eat other crustaceans and mollusks.
How do I get him out of 180 gallon tank? Tank has been setup since Jun 25 and he must have come in with the live rock at the beginning. Have never lost a fish, yet. I know where he is at this time but other than trying to siphon him out of his hole, I have no clue how I would catch him and I don't know if siphoning him is futile.

Any tips?
They’re very cool little animals. Pull the rock out that it is in. We had one years back that would accept shrimp chunks from me with tweezers/tongs.
 

Hadla

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Wish you were closer to California! I’d happily take him when you’re able to remove him
 

BryanM

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Mantis likely, and you should hear clicking from the tank every so often.

A bottle trap with mysis in it might do the trick. I've had decent luck with that.

THey are strong punchers, can break skin, kill fish. They are cool, but they are not cool in my tank. I had 4, I'm down to 1.

Skewer and BBQ.
 
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wunderlong88

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Mantis likely, and you should hear clicking from the tank every so often.

A bottle trap with mysis in it might do the trick. I've had decent luck with that.

THey are strong punchers, can break skin, kill fish. They are cool, but they are not cool in my tank. I had 4, I'm down to 1.

Skewer and BBQ.
I was wondering what type of mantis, just curious. I've had a bottle trap in for several nights with seafood in it (crab, shrimp, etc). I keep catching my peppermint shrimp (I have 5) Haven't caught the mantis. I'm working on moving the peppermint shrimp into my sump as I catch them so I won't keep catching them.

I do hear clicking. But we added a pistol shrimp not long after we started the tank and we thought it was him. Now I don't even know if he is alive.
 

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