Mantis Shrimp
Mantis shrimp or stomatopods are marine crustaceans, the members of the order Stomatopoda. They may reach 30 centimeters (12 in) in length, although exceptional cases of up to 38 cm (15 in) have been recorded. Mantis shrimp appear in a variety of colors, from shades of browns to bright neon colors.
Called "sea locusts" by ancient Assyrians, "prawn killers" in Australia and now sometimes referred to as "thumb splitters" – because of the animal's ability to inflict painful gashes if handled incautiously; mantis shrimp sport powerful claws that they use to attack and kill prey by spearing, stunning, or dismemberment. Although it happens rarely, some larger species of mantis shrimp are capable of breaking through aquarium glass with a single strike from this weapon.
There are two typical classifications of these shrimp. Smashers and Spearers. Smashers use this ability to attack snails, crabs, molluscs and rock oysters; their blunt clubs enabling them to crack the shells of their prey into pieces. Spearers, on the other hand, prefer the meat of softer animals, like fish, which their barbed claws can more easily slice and snag
Many saltwater aquarists keep stomatopods in captivity. However, mantis shrimp are considered pests by other aquarium hobbyists because many smasher species create burrows in the exoskeletons of dead corals. These coral remains are useful in the marine aquarium trade and are often collected. It is not uncommon for a piece of coral skeleton, also known as live rock, to convey a live mantis shrimp into an aquarium. Once inside the tank, they may feed on fish, corals and smaller crustaceans. They are notoriously difficult to catch when established in a well-stocked tank, and there are accounts of them breaking glass tanks.
Solutions
DO NOT! Try to remove these by hand. As noted above these shrimp are known as thumb splitters. And this is for good reason. strike by rapidly unfolding and swinging their raptorial claws at the prey, and are capable of inflicting serious damage on victims significantly greater in size than themselves. In smashers, these two weapons are employed with blinding quickness, with an acceleration of 10,400 g (102,000 m/s2 or 335,000 ft/s2) and speeds of 23 m/s from a standing start,about the acceleration of a .22 calibre bullet. Even if the initial strike misses the prey, the resulting shock wave can be enough to kill or stun the prey. (Pistol shrimp produce this effect in a very similar manner.)
Sources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mantis_shrimp
