Cant get mantis

[ssweet1]

:help: I cant catch this mantis shrimp, it is a big one. It hasnt eaten any of my fish thank God but it has gotten some crabs and snails. I bought a plastic trap but the trap only catches snails and crabs. It is really eating holes in my live rock all throughout the tank. My LFS said to take each piece of rock out and dip it in freshwater, however I have mushrooms, polyps and candy coral attached and growing. LFS says it wont hurt it one bit but I am very afraid of killing any corals. Any suggestions? I dont have room for the 2 liter trap Anything else to try? Thanks, Carrie

 

[goldflake]

Watch it for a while and see where it lives. It is much easier to remove the mantis if you already know which rock he is living in. Take said rock out of your aquarium after watching him go in it and take rock with hiding mantis to your LFS and trade it for another piece of liverock. The mantis certainly did not intend to get into your aquarium and would love nothing more than a nice species specific tank to hang out in. They are incredibly cool critters given the appropriate place to live! Many are quite beautiful as well.
BTW dipping every piece of liverock in fresh water is not practical and won't do the trick, IME. Mantis are tough little guys and you would have to soak the liverock in fresh water for some time to get him to come out. If you have a fuge, put the offending piece of liverock in there and let the mantis live comfortably in peace.

 

[jenn-e]

I have read that a high salinty dip for a few minutes will run all inverts out of the rock. But i have no idea what it might do to your corals.

 

[ssweet1]

I think it was in my refugium and when I rearranged my rocks and added some he appeared-doh! I dont care for him to be in my setup anywhere though:nope: My LFS around here dont trade or refund or nothing so I guess I will just have to possibly lose the piece of rock he is in, IF I can narrow it down. Thanks, Carrie

 

[goldflake]

I hope you'll be able to keep the mantis in your fuge. I have several in mine and they are probably more interesting than any of the fish I have, and I have alot of fish (big system). They are not picky eaters and are easy keepers. What's the harm in keeping him in your fuge? Nothing else in there (I presume) for him to bother and he'll make a great addition to your system! Give the little bugger a chance and you'll see just how totally cool these guys really are!

 

[spline9]

This may work;
If you can find the rock its in, remove the rock and place it in a bucket of tank water. Then use a turkey baster to shoot freshwater in its cave, that might get it out. If it does, then pull the LR out before it can go back into it.

 

[evilss]

im looking for a mantis. you guys have one your willing to sell.

 

[zonut]

if you can get me a photo of the mantis and approximate size ill pay you for the mantis the rock and the shipping if it what i am looking for.

 

[fmelindy]

My experience with two mantis shrimp imported in the same piece of live rock was that extended freshwater dip did not get them to come out until it had killed absolutely everything else on the rock - including a bunch of nice mushrooms...

They're tough buggers!!!

 

[seeweed]

i have wkhat i believe is a mantis.......i always hear the snapping and i have so many dead snails and crabs....i have to much rock on top of each other to pull out the rock......i also never have EVER seen this thing......can anyone help?

 

[zonut]

well if you can get the rock out and can send it to me ill pay you for the trouble. if its snapping alot and your getting holes its a smasher. look at night with a flashlight.