Mantis Shrimp in Reef Tank

[Hadla]

I have a smasher type mantis in my tank. It came in on some gulf live rock. Its been in the tank for over a year now. I tried to catch it once, and tore my whole aquascape up, but I just gave up. Its never bothered fish, but does eat cuc. But I dont really mind that, because I have a melanurus wrasse and a flame hawk, and they both snack on the cuc from time to time also. I just restock the cuc when needed. I see my mantis every now and then, he digs out big burrows under the rocks, and then I hear it popping really loud sometimes. I just live with it.

pics if you’re able to please!! ;Woot

 

[Jeffcb]

Here's why you want to dump them if you can. I had 2 cleaner shrimp for a couple of months. All the sudden1 is gone. The two of them just hung out on the rock together until the one disappeared. After the firsts disappearance the second cleaner shrimp starting hanging at the top back corner of the tank on the other side. A couple of days ago I saw the mantis shrimp stalking the cleaner slowly walking up the back corner of the tank towards him. I grabbed the net and scoped him but he escaped. Man they are fast!. The next day cleaner shrimp 2 is gone. I wish I would of caught him.

 

[Hadla]

So sorry to hear that! Was it bigger than the cleaners? And yeah I don’t put any inverts I want to keep with them but if it’s a hitchhiker, you usually don’t realize til it’s too late

 

[hawk82]

pics if you’re able to please!! ;Woot

I'll try, hes kinda yellow color. Looks like a bull dozer when hes moving sand lol

 

[Kmst80]

To start, I have live rock purchased from TBS a few years ago. I've heard the clicking sound of a mantis ever since. I finally spotted him when I took a large rock out of my tank to rearrange it. He fell out & on to the towel I had on the ground; not even thinking I picked him up & tossed him back in.

Did I mess up? He was only about an inch long and to my knowledge has never hurt anything in the tank.

What did you end up doing and did you find out for sure if it is a mantis or pistol shrimp?
I just discovered that i have a small mantis that came in on my live rock 6 month ago. Only found him by accident, i don't think he has killed any of the team yet but not sure if i should remove him.