The hard bodies of the prey are smashed with the heel of the unfolded appendage. A blow from behind, or its claws broken immediately, typically disables crabs. Several more blows are then followed which then smash the carapace and legs. The crab is then dragged back to the burrow to be eaten. Snails or clams are taken back to the burrow first, then smashed and the shells discarded outside after they have been consumed.
Smashers are the ones that have the reputation for being able to crack glass.
So a mantis shrimp has been discovered in a reef tank, and it will not get along with the other organisms that are going to be kept there. There are a wide variety of different methods available, and the following is a summary of the majority of the more successful ones that have been presented in various sources. A problem that case arise though, is because of their intelligence if the capturing technique is not successful on the first try then they are highly unlikely to fall for the same trick again. Location Known Remove the rock from the aquarium and submerge it into some freshwater or inject it into the burrow with a syringe. The shrimp will come out once the stress of being in freshwater is felt.