Help with how to take out rocks/critters to catch a Mantis!

[phastroh]

Ok here is the situation.

I have a purple Mantis in my tank and as far as I can tell it is only one.

I am just fed up with not being able to catch it. I am one inch from taking out all 160 pounds of rock and hunting it down.

My tank has the following animals in it.

1 Eel
4 Starfish
2 Damsels
6 Sea Urchins
2 Anemones
10 Crabs(various)
Snails and Hermits
Sponges

I really do not feel like taking it all out and then having all these things in an empty tank all mixed together but I don't have any other choice.

If I do decide to do it I need advice on the best way to go about it.

My plan was to bag the sponges and Anemones but I know doing the Anemones will be difficult and I was going to leave the rocks they are on till last but then I will have to be super careful not to smash them and so on.

I wanted to make some saltwater up and get it to temp and check the salinity to keep it close and then take the rocks out and place them all in there.

I was then going to one by one take them to my work sink and hunt this Mantis unless I happen to see it before this.

My big concern is having nothing in the tank but critters and then how will they all behave in a wide open space. Also putting the rock back in with so many things just laying on the sand.

I can remove the starfish and snail/hermits/crabs mostly just the fish and eel would be stuck and probably the Anemones and Urchins.

Is this a bad plan and what do you think out there.

i just cant catch this Mantis and it killed my huge Porcelain crab today. I saw only his legs/claws on the sand and I am pissed.

My alternative was to use my mini crab trap with shrimp to quick remove the hermits and snail since they instantly go in it and put them in the sump with the crabs I can catch and starve it out to the trap.

 

[14 gallon nanocube]

starve it out.and use a hand activated trap.starving can take weeks though

 

[PRC]

Unfortunately for you, you're dealing with one of the most perfect predators nature ever created. Not only are they a PITA to catch, they're also very smart. So if you fail with your first option, it will more than likely never work.

All I can say is I'm happy I've never had to deal with one.

Yote has some good techniques. Maybe PM him.

 

[phastroh]

Yeah maybe I will.

I have tried the bottle and my crab trap but I think since it has so many snails and crabs to eat it doesn't need anything else.

I am going to put some shrimp tonight in my trap and then take all the hermits and snails out since they instantly go in it and put them in my refugium in the sump and also my Green Emeralds.

I can just toss them a piece of squid every 3 days. I don't think my 2 brittles and 2 big star will get killed nor my 2 Anemones.

That leaves my 2 Damsels and my Snowflake Moray oh and a bunch of porcelains.

I will attempt to get as many as I can but they don't eat anything I give them and run away so I may have to just get more later on.

I figure I will have to replace most of my clean up crew but it is better than having to take all the rock out.

So then this is the plan going forward to starve this thing because I have not had one day go by I don't hear it popping.

I am hoping the Eel eats it but I need proof he is gone so hopefully he goes for the trap.

I will if I get it put it in my sump and then maybe give it away or keep it. I know it is solid purple.

I saw it one time and it was maybe 1.5 to 2 inches but looked small and my Eel is about 7-8 inches.

 

[ErinCahir]

I wouldn't leave it up to the eel. The mantis could do some pretty serious damage. Plus I don't think the eel would be able to catch him.

 

[phastroh]

I don't plan on that but if he tries what can I do. I wish I had a spare tank for everything but I don't.

I am hoping if I can get as much as I can out they can live in the sumps refugium for a week or 2 and he has nothing left to kill and comes to the trap.

You don't think the Mantis will try to eat the Starfish or Anemones?

 

[ErinCahir]

Nope.

 

[phastroh]

Ok then I will start this tonight and if it not working in a week to 2 weeks the rocks are coming out as laid out in the first post in this thread.

I just hear that fool in different places all the time but never in 2 at the same time so I am 99% sure there is only one because it is usually coming from only one place at a time.

It would really suck to take all the rock out just to hear it after it is all back.

I can't let the rock dry out and then have the tank recycle with all that stuff in there.

I am also wondering if this Mantis was causing my tank to cycle so slow because it was killing so many things and then they just rot away.

I have to say that I can see far back in the tank and this is the first time I saw any remains.

 

[ErinCahir]

I was under the impression that they only kill what they'll eat. I could be wrong, though.

 

[d2mini]

Mantis never really bother me.
I've had three in my tank that i caught, and I still haven't needed to purchase more snails/crabs. If i did, they are pretty cheap anyway.
So i just wait it out. Eventually they come out of hiding probably either because they are hungry or they get comfortable. One i snagged while he was out roaming around. Another i lucked out and found him in my overflow one morning. One in my other tank used to come out a lot to grab food but i just let him be because he wasn't bothering me.
I think people over react a lot when it comes to mantis shrimp.

 

[phastroh]

I don't think I am being crazy about it I just don't like finding my Crabs smashed apart and losing hermit crabs and snails.

I really wouldn't care if it would just not kill my stuff but it does and I want it out.

If I can't keep it in my sump you can have it if you want it. I also may get a small tank to keep it. It is dark purple and really awesome looking.

I still have 3 boxes from TBS I can send it in but I figure it will either never be caught or be killed.

 

[yote]

If you really want that mantis gone.Your gonna have to slow down and take it slow.Like PRC said,they THE smartest predator there is in nature.every method you try,is just a one shot deal.They learn quick.
You can pull all your rock,but chances are,the mantis will just hide in his hole until things settle back down.Plus you run the risk of kicking off another cycle which would kill a lot more of your livestock.
Start watching the tank every night after the lights are off with a small flashlight with either a red LED or lens.Dont use a bright flashlight either.Study his routine and get to know him.Learn which rocks he feels the most safe.Those will be his favorite places to eat his meals.It'll take some time,so dont rush it.
Once you have him to that point.Start placing him some food in those spots for him.Get his used to actually being fed.Then start placing your net by those spots when you feed him.When he's used to that,place the food inside the net.When he's comfortable taking the food from the net.Make sure you do that at the EXACT same time every night.Then its time to get serious.
Tie some fishing line to handle of the net ( works best if attached to the fishing pole on the other end ).Place the net and food onto his kitchen table.Wait for Mr. Mantis to enter the net.As soon as he's in the net and has the food,pretend your setting the hook on a big catfish.In other words,in one quick motion,yank the net ( and hopefully ) the mantis out.
One word of caution though.DO NOT let any part of your hands or finger get within his strike zone.If you do,you'll find out real quick why their called thumb splitters.

 

[d2mini]

I don't think I am being crazy about it I just don't like finding my Crabs smashed apart and losing hermit crabs and snails.

I really wouldn't care if it would just not kill my stuff but it does and I want it out.

If I can't keep it in my sump you can have it if you want it. I also may get a small tank to keep it. It is dark purple and really awesome looking.

I still have 3 boxes from TBS I can send it in but I figure it will either never be caught or be killed.

I'm not saying you're crazy, nor do i want it.
I just never actually saw any of them kill anything with my own eyes, and snails and crabs have died in my tank regardless. But I have too many CUC to keep track of. I've actually had worse problems with gorilla crabs. Luckily they are easier to catch. Just sayin that I didn't find the mantis to be THAT huge of a problem in my tank so time and patience worked fine. I still hear clicks now and then. Maybe i have another? Maybe it's a pistol? Don't know and not really concerned about it.

Listen to Yote though... he's the resident mantis hunter round these parts! :Cheers:

 

[Waddi]

I caught mine!! :D
My trap failed to, he was way too clever, he would swim around it, being all cheeky, and then was way to fast for my net.
So i did what Yote said, studied him, learnt what rock he loved, and his exit strategies, lucky for me, there was only one exit and one entrance. So i took this one rock out, then i took a turkey baster, filled it with tank water, squirted it in his entrance, and then the flow took him right into my backup, he did molt, which was annoying, had to wait a week to sell him and the guy was very happy about him which in turn i was very happy about it, along with some nice cash in my back pocket!!! ;)

 

[phastroh]

Holy Mantis! I was just looking around my tank and low and behold staring me in the face was the big green eyes right in the front of the tank.

It was peaking out from behind the tree in the third post on this thread https://www.livingreefs.com/pix-my-anemone-and-other-things-t33221.html

The one next to the orange sponge.

So I was luck holycrap I can't do anything and can't take the rock out because others sit on it.

It was a helpless feeling.

So I got some shrimp and put it on a stick and it actually sat there and ate from it. Totally the opposite from anything I have heard. It did duck out of site a few times and it was so fast It looked like it just disappeared and appeared. WOW!

So I tried to lift it but the tree thing was too much because it was slid under a crack in the rock so I hand removed it and the Mantis is still there so either he is semi friendly or is just not the same as the others.

So I put more shrimp in the stick and he had more but didnt come out as far.

I left my net with shrimp in front of the hole but I don't feel so sure he will be caught.

I saw a small purple one month or month in a half ago and this on is green/orange multi color. Do they get this way over time or is this just a different one.

 

[phastroh]

Ok I just got up after the previous post and walked back from under the net. Haha I wonder if we decide to go in and not try to get it from under the net.

It is about 2 inches long and looked sorta of pinkish.

 

[d2mini]

Probably a second one. I don't think they change color. That's cool though. He must be hungry. See! Eventually they do come out. ;)

 

[phastroh]

Yeah but this is just wierd. He is bumping the shrimp from under the net then he pops his head out and I swear is looking right at me and then goes back again and then so on.

I actually feel like he will come around more often and doesn't care about the net. i think if I had a way to lay it flat it would just go right in but it doesn't seem to want to jump the inch up to the net.

 

[yote]

Keep in mind that if you try to reach in for the net while that mantis is setting it,the jiggs up.You never get him back in the net.
Try to get a pic of him.You may have a Peacock in there.
Mantis aint as bad as what most folks think.They'll take an easy meal over a fight with a crab any day.
When I build my next tank,there will be a mantis in it.Their just to cool NOT to have one.

BTW
Its probably a 2nd mantis and it probably killed the first.

 

[phastroh]

Dude he came back after I tried to smash him. I didn't want to kill it but I was tempted and it was looking away and had it's back to me but I stopped myself and he had time to notice me and jetted.

He then came back and I tried to smack him and missed and he just sat there and never tried to run. I actually feel like he wants to be friends haha.

I will gladly feed him if he would not kill stuff.

He has green eyes with orange antennas or orange on his face with a pink like body. Pretty for sure and not afraid to sit there and look back at you.

I guess he has been in that rock for a long time but just hiding under the plant. We came face to face and I didn't expect it and I was caught off guard and was like noooo waaay there you are my little noise maker. I seriously couldn't stop looking at first.

I can hear it now from upstairs popping away. It was flicking my shish-ka-bob stick before and it was almost like it wanted to play with it. It was coming through a hole and I could have stabbed it in the back if I lured it out but I didn't want to and it was sort of playful.

I will just toss it in the sump if I ever get it but I doubt it will take on the big Green Emeralds right now. It is small and I watched it hang out near a hermit crab. Yeah you are right it wanted the shrimp that was just dead and left the crab alone.

I will guess he will come back to that spot and not stay away. I think he feels safe there and I was trying to be friendly with the food for him.

I still hear the other one clicking away i think. It was a little smaller and purple unless they can change colors haha.