Mercuryne's 28G Algae Farm

[Mercuryne]

MANTIS SHRIMP SHOWS HIMSELF

 

as promised.. here are a few photos of the Mantis that finally showed himself in my tank today.

 

I suspect he killed my peppermint shrimp, and most likely a snail too.

 

Bad dude.. need to get a trap and get him out....

 

anythought on how best to trap and or remove this guy would he GREATLY appreciated.

This is one hitchhiker i wish i didnt have.

 

 

 

 

Another

 

 

Up close

 

[Monkfish]

I dont know anything about catching them Merc but this thing looks pretty effective.

 

 

 

 

LINK TO BUY IT

[Webster_5001]

i should think u could put a bigger mantis shrimp in there to eat him - lol. the LFS here had one they were trying to get into a different tank - they kept pulling one rock at a time - let it sit in a bucket and watched - no mantis came out they tried the next rock till they got him in the bucket. they only had several pieces however it was effective and easy - they didn't have a nice aquascape to worry about tho. if u do put your hand in there - be careful - i'd wear some kind of glove just incase. if that doesn't work, and the trap doesn't work, i've got a .44mag u can borrow for him.

good luck

mike

[Greenstar]

Is that a spearer or a smasher?

[Gussie]

Merc,

 

Good pics!!! He looks like the kind with the club instead of the spear. I read this afternoon in another thread the if you can pull out the rock he is in and pur club soda in the holes, he should come right out. I'd try that before the trap or sitcking mjy hand in after that scary looking monster!!!!!

[Gussie]

Merc,

 

While there are about 400 different kinds of Mantis, this one looks odd. All of the pics this afternoon showed animals with fan looking things coming out on both sides of their heads. When his "feathers" are spred as in one of your pics, he almost looks like a Peacock shrimp but I understand the Peacocks won't eat other live creatures. In view of the fact that there are 400 different kinds of Mantis, my limited knowledge tells me he's probably a Mantis. In any case, if he killed your Pepp, he does need to come out. Saw some awesome videos of Mantis killing other Nano creatures with the "club".

 

You also need to be aware that every time he molts, he will get bigger!

[Mercuryne]

Gussie, Greenstar, Monkfish and Webstar..

 

Thanks for chiming in on this one. i have been thinking for a while that i had a Mantis.

I did some research and i'm thinking that about the time that i bought my LR at the LFS he must have been just starting his Molting period (what i believe to be about three weeks) Once they get into the molt phase, they cannot and will not strike with their club. He was virually a ghost the past 6 weeks unil TODAY..

CAME RIGHT OUT IN THE OPEN a number of times.. even tried to roll over a nassarius snail.

 

and to think that i had my hand in there last weekend adding my Neon Green Candy Canes....

 

I'll call the LFS tomorrow and see if they have a trap. if i can get him into the trap i will attempt to Sell him to the LFS. I know some have mentioned keeping him in another tank, but i think since i'm fairly new here i'd rather trade him for some coral.

 

Thanks for the tips fella's.

Much appreciated.

[Mercuryne]

Good Sunday evening all.

 

So i went to the LFS today to pick up a trap for the Mantis Shrimp and also to add my 2nd and third coral's.

 

Bought the trap that Monkfish suggested above in this thread. Was 16 bucks, and i have to tell you it doesnt work well. (no offense to you Monk) its a great idea, but the front door of the thing just Barely latches on the trigger and its almost impossible. Now, that being said, I loaded the trap with a frozen squid square and set it in the bottom of the tank. wasnt long before EVERY nassarius snail i own was INSIDE the trap trying to feed.

 

fast forward twenty minutes, and i have all the snails in a plastic bag, floating and the trap reloaded.

The Mantis found his way in three times but made it out without tripping the door. DAMN!

 

he's a smart one. had to pull the trap out to reset it and now i cant seem to get the door to stay open.. Very frustrating. I finallly gave up and will return the trap to the LFS for something more reliable maybe.

 

 

On a positive note, i picked up my 2nd and third Coral's today. A branching Frogspawn and a small single Ric.

placed them in the tank and took a few photos of the new ones along with the Neon Green candy canes that i added last week (the canes have almost doubled in size since i put them in) I believe that really waiting through the cycle without getting into a big hurry has helped me a lot. the water quality is great from what i can test. and about ten minutes after adding the frogspawn it was stretched out way more than it was in the LFS.

I'm sure the MH light helps too.

 

here a few photos.

 

Candy Canes(photo is a bit washed out) im working on it.

 

 

Branching Frogspawn

 

 

SIngle RIC

 

 

Sponge? (hitchhiker that has grown larger since the cycle) he came with the rock.

 

 

True Perc

 

 

FTS (once again a little washed out on the color) bad photography but you get the idea.

 

[Gussie]

Merc,

 

Love the new pics!!! Sorry about the trouble with the trap. You may need to try the club soda thing. The only problem with it is that you have to mess with the aquascape to do it (taking the rock out,etc.), and you really need to know which rock to start with so you don't have to do a "process of elimination" exercise.

 

Really like all of the corals! Glad to see you bought a Ric.

 

Merc,

 

In the picture of the hitchhiker sponge, there are a couple of "ghosty" looking things in the background that look like tiny trees. Do you know what they are?

[Weetabix7]

It's looking good, and I like the markings on the fish.

Good luck with the mantis.

Another thing you can do if you know what rock he's on is put that rock in some FW; shouldn't be long before he comes out.

[Mercuryne]

Is that a spearer or a smasher?

 

 

Greenstar, i believe the one that resides in my tank is a smasher..

 

 

 

Merc,

 

Love the new pics!!! Sorry about the trouble with the trap. You may need to try the club soda thing. The only problem with it is that you have to mess with the aquascape to do it (taking the rock out,etc.), and you really need to know which rock to start with so you don't have to do a "process of elimination" exercise.

 

Really like all of the corals! Glad to see you bought a Ric.

 

Merc,

 

In the picture of the hitchhiker sponge, there are a couple of "ghosty" looking things in the background that look like tiny trees. Do you know what they are?

 

 

Gussie, the Ghosty looking things in the background of the sponge picture:

i thought originally that they were some sort of Plant life.. but this am while staring at the tank .. they sucks back into a hole.. must be some form of feather or something.

I'm seeing a real explosion of life this week on my LR.. its crazy how much is now coming to life.

[Gussie]

Merc,

 

After doing some more research today, I believe your Mantis is, in fact a Peacock Mantis. And I was bad wrong yesterday when I said they won't eat other live creatures (I had seen that somewhere on another thread, not Nano Reef). They apaparently will eat anything, alive or dead just like other Mantis.

[Gussie]

Merc,

 

Saw a video today of someone placing a dead shrimp tail on the end of wooden skewer and holding down in front of the Mantis hole and jiggleing it. The mantis came out and jumped right on the shrimp. Maybe you could try that and hold a net down right beside of the skewer with the shrimp but you'd have to be quick. This Mantis problem is kinda like having a galded butt crack. Everybody has a different remedy, ie; corn starch, aloe cream, flour, etc. Your Great Grandad used to say "Everybody knows what to do with a mean woman, except the man that's got her." That is exactly what this Matis thing is like!!!! Everybody has a different method.

[klarion]

Merc,

 

Saw a video today of someone placing a dead shrimp tail on the end of wooden skewer and holding down in front of the Mantis hole and jiggleing it. The mantis came out and jumped right on the shrimp. Maybe you could try that and hold a net down right beside of the skewer with the shrimp but you'd have to be quick. This Mantis problem is kinda like having a galded butt crack. Everybody has a different remedy, ie; corn starch, aloe cream, flour, etc. Your Great Grandad used to say "Everybody knows what to do with a mean woman, except the man that's got her." That is exactly what this Matis thing is like!!!! Everybody has a different method.

 

LOL twice.

 

That mantis is really scary looking and you got some great shots of it. Good luck with the removal. Also I'm glad to see that your algae problem is no more.

[Mercuryne]

LOL twice.

 

That mantis is really scary looking and you got some great shots of it. Good luck with the removal. Also I'm glad to see that your algae problem is no more.

 

Thank you Klarion.. I appreciate you noticing..

I have to say that to have been so absolutely torn up over the algae before.. i'm good now.

There are a couple of little spots of sea cactus.. I believe its called. But i like the look of that.

Not any other at the moment. Water conditions being good now.. and the fact that the CUC and I working together with water changes weekly cleaned it up makes me really happy.

Tanks really starting to get there. not many coral's but like you , i like to enjoy and get to know the ones i have.

Thanks for stopping by.. I will let you know how the Mantis removal goes..

[NAL]

I came here expecting algae, but instead i see a nice tank. Good job!!

[klarion]

Thank you Klarion.. I appreciate you noticing..

I have to say that to have been so absolutely torn up over the algae before.. i'm good now.

There are a couple of little spots of sea cactus.. I believe its called. But i like the look of that.

Not any other at the moment. Water conditions being good now.. and the fact that the CUC and I working together with water changes weekly cleaned it up makes me really happy.

Tanks really starting to get there. not many coral's but like you , i like to enjoy and get to know the ones i have.

Thanks for stopping by.. I will let you know how the Mantis removal goes..

 

Hope it goes well. It would be a shame if he munched on more CUC. BTW, I finally did get more corals so my tank is not th most sparse one on Nano-reef.

[Monkfish]

Sorry the trap didnt work Merc was just the first thing I noticed on the site that said "trap mantis". Theres always the ole wildecoyote acme bait a mouse trap with a shiner:)....SNAP

[Mercuryne]

Sorry the trap didnt work Merc was just the first thing I noticed on the site that said "trap mantis". Theres always the ole wildecoyote acme bait a mouse trap with a shiner:)....SNAP

 

HAHAHAHA

 

Monk.. love the acme mousetrap with a shiner.. no worreis on the trap.. i found another one on Dr Fosters and Smith site that look a little more sturday. when it arrives I'll see how that goes and post the results..

pretty sure the Mantis ate another snail this week although i've not seen him at all. he's hiding out.

 

I am going to feed the tank.. some frozen for the clown and some marine snow for the coral in a bit.. i'm guessing he will show himself again when i do.

 

how are things going with your tank?

[Mercuryne]

WATER CHANGES Using the H.O.T. (Hang on Tank) Cannister Filter

 

Being about 7 weeks into my 28 g Nano. ive done a water change every weekend since my cycle finished.

problem was that it took forever for the tank to clear after i had blown all the crud off the rocks and attempted to vacuum it out.

 

I had read in a few posts that folks (H2O, Klarion) and others were plugging in the H.O.T Cannister filter while changing water, and cleaning tank just to pull all that stuff out.

Well now that i have one. I HIGHLY recommend it!

 

 

I bought the (Hang on Tank) Magnum Cannister filter and it arrived this past week. Did a five gallon WC this morning and completely turnkey basted everything in the tank.. every nook and crannie.. you should have seen the detrius and smeg that was floating around. I Got it all stirred up and then turned on the H.O.T. magnum filter with the water polishing sleeve and it took about twenty minutes to COMPLETELY remove every spec of dirt from the water column

 

EDIT:

When you do this. make sure you fill the cannister completely with tank water BEFORE turning it on, otherwise it blows air bubbles all over the tank)

It seemed like the chore of the wc today was almost over before it got started.

 

I think i paid about fifty bucks for the cannister filter and i have to tell you it was SO well worth the money. tank is clear as a bell and all detrius is now filtered OUT OF THE TANK.. which should really help the Params.

 

Photos coming soon.

[Mercuryne]

I came here expecting algae, but instead i see a nice tank. Good job!!

 

 

Nal,

 

thanks for checking it out. Trust me when i tell you that i had algae coming out of my ears.

Through lots of water changes and dilligence in cleaning the tank (along with a little help from the cuc) its GONE.

 

Appreciate the kind word.

[Mercuryne]

A couple of new shots!

 

the top rock with some cool orange growth

 

Snail's got algae!

 

[Monkfish]

Tank is really shaping up looks like the coralline is really taking hold now.

[klarion]

WATER CHANGES Using the H.O.T. (Hang on Tank) Cannister Filter

 

Being about 7 weeks into my 28 g Nano. ive done a water change every weekend since my cycle finished.

problem was that it took forever for the tank to clear after i had blown all the crud off the rocks and attempted to vacuum it out.

 

I had read in a few posts that folks (H2O, Klarion) and others were plugging in the H.O.T Cannister filter while changing water, and cleaning tank just to pull all that stuff out.

Well now that i have one. I HIGHLY recommend it!

 

 

I bought the (Hang on Tank) Magnum Cannister filter and it arrived this past week. Did a five gallon WC this morning and completely turnkey basted everything in the tank.. every nook and crannie.. you should have seen the detrius and smeg that was floating around. I Got it all stirred up and then turned on the H.O.T. magnum filter with the water polishing sleeve and it took about twenty minutes to COMPLETELY remove every spec of dirt from the water column

 

EDIT:

When you do this. make sure you fill the cannister completely with tank water BEFORE turning it on, otherwise it blows air bubbles all over the tank)

It seemed like the chore of the wc today was almost over before it got started.

 

I think i paid about fifty bucks for the cannister filter and i have to tell you it was SO well worth the money. tank is clear as a bell and all detrius is now filtered OUT OF THE TANK.. which should really help the Params.

 

Photos coming soon.

 

+1 on this one.

 

It's also a good idea to periodically blow off detritus as you're running the filter because the heavier particles settle quickly.

 

PS: How is it going with the Mantis? or did I miss something...

[hecsrt-4]

Contrary to popular belief that mantis is not a peacock its a smaller species and dont worry about it, its more scared of you than you are of it. The best way to catch them is just to be patient as soon as you see him go into the LR take that piece of LR out and place it in a bucket. Lift the LR out of the water and he will eventually jump out, into the bucket. Best way of doing it you dont want to kill beneficial bacteria with fresh water or club soda.