HELP! MANTIS?!

[Holly]

ACK! When I fed the tank tonight, I was shocked to see a tiny 1/2-3/4" thing that looked like a cricket mole dart out of a hole in a rock and try to grab a mysid floating by, then dart back into the hole (going backwards). It was so fast I couldn't see anything except that it reminded me of a dreaded mantis shrimp the way it moved.

 

I couldn't get a great look at it, except the front of the hole, and it has those two hitched up front arms like a praying mantis does. (scary)

 

I'm in a COMPLETE PANIC that I have a mantis shrimp in my tank (a juvenile one). I was able to get one 1/2decent photo of it's head when it peaked out. PLEASE tell me it's something else. It's living in the rock I just got in from VividAquariums (flame)

 

If it IS a mantis, at least I know where he's living and I can take the rock out and kill him. If I have to do that, how can I drive him out of the rock and kill him w/o hurting my yellow colony? Intensely high salinity?

[jptrson]

From what i can tell it sure looks like a mantis, but I wouldn't kill it right away as some one might like it. Heck, i'd take it if I was closer.

[Randy-S]

Yep looks like a mantis . Take the rock out and offer him up to another reefer. i am sure someone would want him.

[Holly]

Who would want to put such a voracious predator into their reef tank??

 

I don't wanna put him in my quarantine tank, as I have a few smallish fish in there that haven't reached the 2-wk mark yet to go into the big tank..

 

I don't wanna loose my bright yellow polyps either (sad) ..Is there a way to flush him out of the rock so I can keep it? I just want it OUT of there before it moves into another rock and I've no way to catch it.

[reefboy]

if you get a fish trap and are quick you can catch him that way or a big syringe of boiling water if the hole dosnt have any exits .

[Holly]

I have the rock out of water. How long can the polyps stay out of water as long as I keep them moist?

 

I assume he'll eventually come out looking for water..?

[Holly]

[Holly]

It's all over. (clap)

 

Thanks for the boiling water suggestion. I had to use a hammer and gently break open the bottom of the hole, where I found his boiled little cadaver. I'm now concerned that there might be more.

 

I tried to keep all the water off the polyps, but who knows.

[falcon]

Those yellow polyps are extremely hardy. I've seen them shipped dry before with no problems.

[rmhuntley]

Ack! I actually would have taken him. I love your yellow polyps, btw:)

[Holly]

If I'd gotten him out alive, I would've given him to you. My priority was saving my polyps and getting him out, though

[rmhuntley]

totally understood:)

[Holly]

TY @ liking the polyps tho! I love yellow =)

[Lowman]

Holly, you can fresh water dip zoo rocks and polyps for up to 10 min. That usually will drive out any pests in the rocks.

[impur]

Holly' date=' you can fresh water dip zoo rocks and polyps for up to 10 min. That usually will drive out any pests in the rocks.[/quote']

 

(agree) (agree) You should be FW dipping all zoo rocks before they go into your tank. There are so many zoo predators out there its just not worth the risk.

[Holly]

Thanks

 

When it comes to being new at this hobby, the devil's in the details. There are just so many little things you don't think about. I'd heard of quickly FW dipping fish, but not corals.

 

I got up this morning still wondering what other awful infiltrators might be in there...

[rmhuntley]

I dip all of my zoas in FW w/ some lugols and Flatworm Exit

[reefboy]

you guys might want to give your recipe for this but mine is fill a bag with fresh water float in tank while zoo's are floating to get water to same temp once temp is achieved put fresh in container add lugals or TMPCC at recommended dosage per amount of water, the container i use i have already premeasured so i know the amount of med per amount of water then dip to a min 5m to max 10m

[impur]

you guys might want to give your recipe for this but mine is fill a bag with fresh water float in tank while zoo's are floating to get water to same temp once temp is achieved put fresh in container add lugals or TMPCC at recommended dosage per amount of water' date=' the container i use i have already premeasured so i know the amount of med per amount of water then dip to a min 5m to max 10m[/quote']

 

This is exactly what i do as well.