Green Mantis Shrimp Confirmed

[jb61264]

OK...I'm sorry to start a different thread but now that I have absolutely confirmed I have a green mantis shrimp, I'd like to hear how I can capture this amazing creature and eliminate it from my tank. I just saw it a few minutes ago blowing out sand underneather one of my rocks on the edge of the tank. It is probably just at or under 1" in length total. I'm going to see if I can snap a picture...thing is, I've also seen it on another rock nearby so I'm sure it's setting up some sort of tunnel network underneath my rock...the easiest "access" to it would be where its at now.

I need some serious recommendations...don't have "alot" in my tank but don't want to lose what I do have (LMB, arrow crab, turbo snails).

 

[nudy6969]

take a tube, (pvc pipe) close one end, let it go inside, and then quickly plug the hole that it came in through. take the tube with the mantis out of the water and pour in into the toilet.

 

[SalteeDogg]

take a tube, (pvc pipe) close one end, let it go inside, and then quickly plug the hole that it came in through. take the tube with the mantis out of the water and pour in into the toilet.

DO NOT POUR INTO TOILET! That would absolutely be the cruelest thing you could do! Your LFS would be more then happy to take it from you. Let us know the outcome.

 

[jb61264]

take a tube, (pvc pipe) close one end, let it go inside, and then quickly plug the hole that it came in through. take the tube with the mantis out of the water and pour in into the toilet.

How do you coax the thing into the tube?

 

[jb61264]

DO NOT POUR INTO TOILET! That would absolutely be the cruelest thing you could do! Your LFS would be more then happy to take it from you. Let us know the outcome.

No worries mate...I would never do such a thing. It may not be good for my tank long term, but I want to absolutely preserve it...I appreciate life in all forms and this little green mantis shrimp, as pesty as it might be, is absolutely fascinating.

 

[nudy6969]

bury the tube into the sand so only the opening end sticks out, take out all the live rock, the mantis will look for a place to hide and will have no choice but to crawl inside the pvc pipe, lift the pvc pipe out and cap the opening end, there should sill be water in there, then take it to ur local fish store while it is in the tube, the tube should be caped tight on both ends to prevent water escaping.

 

[nudy6969]

or u can ship it to me, in the tube

 

[jb61264]

OK...for anyone who might have ideas...the sighting tonight was in the lower left corner piece of rock of this picture...between the sand and the rock, shoveling sand out from underneath.

I think I will move the zooanthids to the other side of the tank tonight and then tomorrow and Wednesday move the two pieces on top of the large base rock that he is under...only problem is I've also seen him just to the left of this rock in another...so it's obviously building a little network under the rock in the sand.

I'll either have to lure him into something or gradually move the rocks on top and then when I'm ready, lift up the big rock and try to net him?...this sucks and at the same time is fun and fascinating...how could that be :)

 

[nudy6969]

http://www.divegallery.com/Mantis_Shrimp_.jpg

is that him

 

[jb61264]

bury the tube into the sand so only the opening end sticks out, take out all the live rock, the mantis will look for a place to hide and will have no choice but to crawl inside the pvc pipe, lift the pvc pipe out and cap the opening end, there should sill be water in there, then take it to ur local fish store while it is in the tube, the tube should be caped tight on both ends to prevent water escaping.

Holy crap...I have 65 lbs of rock in my tank...I need to take it all out? :shock:

 

[jb61264]

http://www.divegallery.com/Mantis_Shrimp_.jpg
is that him

your link doesn't work for me...i'm not sure i'll ship it to you though, you wanted me to flush it down the toilet :shock: I'd definately send it to someone if they wanted to keep it and take care of it (of course, they'd have to pay for the shipping)

 

[nudy6969]

how much is shippig? i was joking about the toilet

 

[jb61264]

how much is shippig? i was joking about the toilet

i have no clue...I live in Lincoln, NE though if you want to research it and figure it out.

 

[kyle]

so u have a clown mantis i think they mite be nocturnal so it mite be easyer when the lites are off

 

[jb61264]

Here are some excellent pictures of exactly what it looks like

A Load of Learnin' About Mantis Shrimps by James Fatherree - Reefkeeping.com

I think I might try his idea for catching it unless somebody else has a better idea

 

[nudy6969]

wow, overnight 44.59

 

[kyle]

u can buy mantis trap but is probly better to make one rite away

 

[jb61264]

Does anyone know if mantis shrimp are good swimmers? I have a smaller refugium below my DT (9x12x12) so it is essentially 10-12" of height from the 3" layer of sand I have...there are a couple of pieces of smaller rocks and some chaeto in there.

Could I put him down there...the only way he could get back into the DT is via the pump which would probably shred him up into crab food.

Anyway, it'd be cool to be able to keep it down there but not if it could bust open my sump with a crack of its claws

 

[reeffreak]

Mantis don't swim.Your best bet is to catch it and put in the the sump.I doubt it could break that glass being that small.If you can isolate the rock the mantis might be hiding in then it should make it easier to remove.Or,you can get a mantis trap.You put food in it and when the mantis enters it triggers a trap door.If you want to kill it then take the rock out where its living and dip in freshwater.Of course that will kill any bristleworms,copepods etc that live inside the rock.

 

[poolshark181]

if you'll consider shipping it, i would be interested in keeping it =] in a tank of course, not the toilet =p