Crabs and Mantis Shrimp

Oliver

Oliver
Jan 17, 2005
424
0
0
Perth, Western Australia
If you have just bought home your live rock and have noticed that there are crabs, and/or a clicking sound sometimes, especially at night, then you have either a pistol shrimp or a mantis shrimp! Everyone says this is bad but I had some luck I believe. I have had my LR for 3 days now and the ammonia is at 1.4 and the nitrite is 0.4. Hence, the tank is starting to cycle. All the crabs that I can see are dead, I have picked up 5, and I found a mantis shrimp dead on the sand this morning. So if you are worried that you have crabs or maby a mantis shrimp, chill, and hope that they will die when the tank cycles.
 
The problem with this theory is if the bad things are dying so are the good.
 
Tank cycling does not always kill unwanted pests such as Mantis Shrimp. I cycled my tank with live sand and live rock and found a perfectly healthy Mantis in my rock while the tank was cycling.
 
If the Ammonia in the tank is high enough to kill a Mantis Shrimp, EVERYTHING thats living on the rock except the bacteria will die as well.
 
I found the bugger, it was a pistol shrimp, thanks for your help
 
MrPufferfish said:
Is this common for live rock to host these creatures !!!


YUP! It's considered unlucky if you don't have critters.... Mantis shrimp are a pain, but if they arrive with your rock, then there is an awesome chance of having other cool arrivals too!
 
I got a pistol shrimp with my lr, as well as a gigantic bristle worm, countless smaller bristle worms, snails, peanut worms,spaghetti worms, tons of amphipods and copepods, feather dusters, etc. etc. So far nobody's caused any problems; I don't know that a pistol shrimp is something to worry about. Might be a bonus, if you want a watchman goby! :)
 
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