Guest Aron Posted June 16, 2006 Share Posted June 16, 2006 (edited) Caught this flathead on Tuesday and found scampi in its gut. Can you get scampi for bait, how do you collect it, where do they live - only ever seen them before at the fish market at about $50 per kilo - expensive bait Edited June 16, 2006 by Aron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allthegear Posted June 18, 2006 Share Posted June 18, 2006 That's no scampi mate, scampi are a deep sea creature and caught on trawlers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flattieman Posted June 18, 2006 Share Posted June 18, 2006 That's no scampi mate, scampi are a deep sea creature and caught on trawlers. TRUE!!! Flattieman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmoshe Posted June 18, 2006 Share Posted June 18, 2006 (edited) Could be a Mantis Shrimp but I don't know if they are found in Aussie waters. Here's a couple of pics of 'em: http://www.fisheries.vims.edu/trawlseine/P...ges/Squilla.jpg http://www.fishesnpets.net/explore/gallery...hrimp.sized.jpg Pete. Edited June 18, 2006 by MallacootaPete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allthegear Posted June 18, 2006 Share Posted June 18, 2006 Could be a Mantis Shrimp but I don't know if they are found in Aussie waters. Here's a couple of pics of 'em: http://www.fisheries.vims.edu/trawlseine/P...ges/Squilla.jpg http://www.fishesnpets.net/explore/gallery...hrimp.sized.jpg Pete. YES, i think that is what it is, i couldn't remember the name before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flattieman Posted June 18, 2006 Share Posted June 18, 2006 YES, i think that is what it is, i couldn't remember the name before. Me too. I've only personally seen them in Fiji, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if they lived in Australian waters. Flattieman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmoshe Posted June 18, 2006 Share Posted June 18, 2006 Me too. I've only personally seen them in Fiji, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if they lived in Australian waters. Flattieman. Just did some quick research on Mantis Shrimp and that flattie is probably lucky to still have some innerds left as they are rather aggressive animals: Plus they are found in NSW waters: Pete. ___________________________________________________ Mantis shrimps are highly aggressive crustaceans that capture prey using large, raptorial claws much like that of a praying mantis. Many are beautifully coloured in shades of red, green and blue. The ancient Assyrians called the mantis shrimps 'sea locusts'. Today, mantis shrimps are called 'shako', 'prawn killers' and 'thumb splitters'. There are two main types of mantis shrimp: 'spearers' and 'smashers'. Both types strike by rapidly unfolding and swinging the raptorial claw at the prey. 'Spearers' have a claw lined with numerous sharp teeth and they hunt by impaling prey on these teeth. They usually feed on soft-bodied animals like worms, shrimps and fish. 'Smashers' have a claw shaped like a club, which they use to smash and hammer their prey. They usually feed on hard-bodied animals like snails and crabs. Both 'spearers' and 'smashers' have excellent binocular vision and many see in colour. About 400 species of mantis shrimp are known worldwide. Close to 250 species occur in the Indo-West Pacific region and more than half of these occur around Australia. New species are regularly being discovered, even off the coast of New South Wales. Mantis shrimps support large fisheries in many parts of the world but they are susceptible to overfishing and habitat loss. Most species of mantis shrimp live alone, but there are some species that live in pairs for life. Mantis shrimps can live in burrows and crevices on coral reefs, or on the seabed down to a depth of 1500 metres. Mantis shrimps play an important role in marine ecosystems, regulating the numbers of other species and promoting higher overall species richness. Also, where the seabed is soft, the burrowing behaviour of mantis shrimps contributes to the turnover and oxygenation of sediments. Mantis shrimps are also sensitive to environmental pollutants and are good bioindicators of pollution on coral reefs. Shane Ahyong Marine Invertebrates Australian Museum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flattieman Posted June 18, 2006 Share Posted June 18, 2006 flattie is probably lucky to still have some innerds left as they are rather aggressive animals Thanks for the info, Pete. As soon as I saw the eyes of a mantis shrip poking out of a hole in the sand where I was snorkelling, I knew exactly what it was. They are very aggressive. Somewhere, I've got footage of one attacking a prawn that passes its hole. Flattieman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aron Posted June 18, 2006 Share Posted June 18, 2006 Thanks for the info, Pete. As soon as I saw the eyes of a mantis shrip poking out of a hole in the sand where I was snorkelling, I knew exactly what it was. They are very aggressive. Somewhere, I've got footage of one attacking a prawn that passes its hole. Flattieman. Ditto The flathead was caught in the Hawksbury off patonga beach, the photo of the shrimp was taken at parsley bay ramp straight after i gutted it. The shrimp was about 8cm long. Thanks for that info Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmoshe Posted June 18, 2006 Share Posted June 18, 2006 Here's some video of the little buggers: http://www.grouper.com/GlobalMedia/MediaDe...t=-1&s=7&q=easy http://www.nightsea.com/mantis/MantisShrimp.mpg They seem like just the thing to empty your home aquarium Pete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caine Posted June 18, 2006 Share Posted June 18, 2006 funny this post about a month ago i was fishing with a mate and he hooked one on his bream rod he knew exactly what it was, i just thought it was some sort of heavily armoured combat prawn... we where fishing for jews and running out of livies so i convinced him to give the little fella a body pearcing he never asked for and cast him back out.... he got fished for about an hr and didnt get a touch but neither did any of the livies we where using. got some ripper bream though a small medium and large, 25cm 35cm and 40cm my mate got zip save for a couple of tiny breambos. he was a bit shitty cause we where on his boat........... but from your pic are you sure its not some sort of bug? hang on just looking at the reference pic posted what my mate got was not that he was much much meaner looking..... so i was right it WAS a heavily armoured combat prawn. latin name australis stalonis prawnus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matty Posted June 18, 2006 Share Posted June 18, 2006 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jewhunter Posted June 18, 2006 Share Posted June 18, 2006 Yep, Mantis prawn or prawn killer. They are quite common in Sydney Harbour. I've seen heaps swimming around wharves at night. I've also caught a few Jew with them in their guts. I've tried them for bait but the pickers love 'em. Cheers, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibbofisho Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 Lots of the kings i've taken in botany bay have these in their guts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt_nsw Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 i wasnt sure what they were until i scooped this one up out of the georges river with the landing net one night apparently they can inflick a very nasty wound if not handled properly. i was wondering why this little bugger was stricking so viciously Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevvie Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 I have caught flatties off Patonga with the Mantis in thier guts. It seems a regular occurance. Add to this a few landbased jew i have caught with them in thier guts too from Sydney Harbour. I have foul hooked a Mantis at Woolwich wharf one night and a local jew gun almost mobbed me for it to use as bait, almost garunteeing it would catch a jew. Apparently theres a shale bed 30-40m in front of the wharf and the jew come in to forage on the shrimp at night. They must be gun bait or we wouldnt find em in the belly of so many fish i guess! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
insolent Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 I've accidentally hooked one at Blackwattle Bay as well, at the time I didn't know if they were any good for bait, protected etc and threw it back. I've since been told that a live Mantis is a great bait for large bream. Cheers Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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