# YES! Ultimate Predator!



## NitrousCorvette (May 31, 2004)

Today i went to my LFS where they had on hold for me a 8" MANTIS SHRIMP!!!! not only do they have superb eye sight, but the owner was battleing trying to keep this thing in the net! the mantis shrimp shot out of the slot (was a 30 slot holding cell for individual specimens) and into another, and was even fighting in the net. So the owner triple bag wraped him, and also stuck the bag in a bucket just in case if the mantis was to cut through the bag. Got him acclimated into the tank, and (it was kinda sad) he went straight for my biggest turbo snail (about 2.5" in diameter) that ive had ever since my water parameters were prestine. anyways i started watching and saw him start CRACKING THE SHELL!





















These are some [email protected]$$ invertebrates! BUY ONE!!! OR TWO AND WATCH THEM BATTLE! here are somne poor pics of him holding the turbo snail and looking out from the side of his cave! BEST THING there not even skittish! im kinda scared though.......they attacked at 22mph, and have been known to bust tanks...


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## inspectahdeck34 (Dec 31, 2006)

look like it could be cool but i cant really make out whats going on in the pics


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## JCraig (Nov 9, 2006)

inspectahdeck34 said:


> look like it could be cool but i cant really make out whats going on in the pics


X2, but it sounds cool.







this is saltwater right??????


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

Tank busting shrimp?

I've heard they were hellacious, but I didn't know they were all that!


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## Coldfire (Aug 20, 2003)

Yeah, those things are bad, but be careful. They have been known to bust everything from heaters, filter intakes, to tanks. Plus, they are not reef safe. That mantis shrimp will end up eating everything in your tank from snails, to fish. Most people that I have known to have one has kept it in a separate refugium, sealed off from the main tank for that reason.

Nonetheless, sounds like a great pick up. Good luck moving forward.

To answer the question above, yes, that is a SW invertebrate.


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## bigdaddy998us (Jan 2, 2007)

haha.. frakin sweet.. I want one! If only I had a saltwater setup


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## Geis (Jan 16, 2007)

Just did a yahoo image search for those. Those things are bad a$$ looking!!















congrats man!


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## jmax611 (Aug 6, 2006)

i now wish i had a saltwater setup


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## spinalremains (Nov 10, 2006)

I've read they can strike with the velocity of a .22 cal. bullet. I guess they can dismantle an entire large crab in seconds!!!


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## Piranha Guru (Nov 24, 2005)




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## NitrousCorvette (May 31, 2004)

Yea im real happy with him!







sorry about the poor pic quality (camera phone) but its of his face and hes holding the snail







It is a SW shrimp, but a must for hardcore predators!


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## NitrousCorvette (May 31, 2004)

> they attacked at 22mph,


Sorry, that was inaccurate. They actually ahve a general attack speed of 50mph! very colorful shrimp too with lots of character. Truely a best buy........One thing the owner told me.......which he hasnt said when ive bought things from Soft Corals, to map puffers, was this "Take him home and make him happy" Which i think means "Take him home and see how much crap he can eat, and be amazed at what he does!" I took him home and hes made me happy :nod: .....................

............Till the damn day he crcks my tank









I heard they have cracked aquariums due to seeing their reflection or merely someone teasing it with their finger, and have been known to dismantle whole tanks.


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## rbp 4 135 (Mar 2, 2004)

also when they are digging and run in to the glass the will thump it in an attempt to dig deeper. they actually can and do creat tunnesl through rock. An acrylic tank would solve your problem.


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## r1dermon (Mar 9, 2005)

yeah, acrylic will stand up to a mantis shrimp...i've actually had several friends with them, and never a broken tank. and they've been in for upwards of a year in the longest case. they do eat a killing though...my personal favorite is the pistol shrimp...but the mantis is definately badass.


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## snakehead rock (Mar 26, 2006)

r1dermon said:


> yeah, *acrylic will stand up to a mantis shrimp*...i've actually had several friends with them, and never a broken tank. and they've been in for upwards of a year in the longest case. they do eat a killing though...my personal favorite is the pistol shrimp...but the mantis is definately badass.










and WOW 8"? matis shrimp that big will bust glass easy.... smaller mantis shrimp arnt able to crak glass get an acrylic tank NOW before it busts ur tank. Nice pic up though put up spme better picz


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## acb (Nov 9, 2004)

what size tank is it in?


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