Mantis shrimp are awesome. They live in more than just the GBR, and there are a couple of different species. Some have claws modified into clubs, while others have spears (clubbers hunt crunchies, spearers hunt swimmers). They're very smart, as well, and make for very interesting tank specimens--if you're willing to have just the shrimp. ;)

They'll watch you as you watch them.

That sounds scary as s**t.

A little. They can be very aggressive, and tank maintenance requires a little more attention, but really they're no worse to work around than a trigger. I've never been hit by a mantis, but a trigger took off most of one knuckle and a burrfish chomped a finger. The octopus latching on was probably creepier, though.

Wait... "most of one knuckle" as in "down to the bone" most?

Uhhh...Yeah.

It got better!

It was my fault. Triggers are aggressive feeders, and have large, sharp teeth and strong jaws. I was focusing on getting a new fish to take some shrimp, wasn't paying attention to the trigger, and he slipped in from the side and chomped me. Salt water makes certain you notice these things quickly.

I had a humma humma (sp?) trigger in college. Those suckers are mean. Mine used to eat the feeder fish by eating the eyeballs first so the fish couldn't see it as it came around front and chomped it down, buzz saw style, head first.

This is why you're the highest ranking member on plime.

As soon as I read this I thought, "She turned me into a newt!"

I was thinking that as I wrote it!