Dealing with a Mantis

[JasonH]

Okay - hard to imagine... but I think I have a mantis. Not that having a mantis is so hard to imagine, but if I do have one, I've had it for years and been oblivious to it - I got the rock 4 years ago and haven't added anything since that could have harbored a mantis. I think it's a small one. I think I caught a glimpse of it the other night.

 

I have heard some clicking before, but I'd look over and see my algae blenny pecking at something and dismiss it as that. And my snails/hermits don't seem to live very long... but how long do those little guys live, anyway.

 

But, like I said, I think I finally caught a glimpse of it the other night. If I do have one, it's pretty small and lives in a crack which has a small (like 1/4") opening.

 

So, Should I take the rock out and try to trap/kill the bugger - or wait until I can confirm the sighting? Are there small versions of mantis? It's definately not as big as others I've seen - like Peacock Mantis.

 

The guidance I've read is that if you know what rock it's in (and I do) to take the rock out and put it in fresh water - which will drive the mantis out of the rock. But that seems drastic as it will also kill everything else in the rock. Luckily, this is probably the only rock in my tank without some form of coral living on it.

 

I feel a little bad, though. It's not really the mantis shrimp's fault - he's just being a mantis shrimp - but he can't keep living in my tank (flame).

 

Or should I wait until I can confirm the sighting to take suck drastic action?

 

Sorry for the long post - appreciate any input.

[MadReefer]

You could put the rock into a bucket of saltwater and see if you can bait it out of the rock.

[dsoz]

Or a bucket with some club soda. The carbon dioxide is supposed to drive them out of their holes.

 

If you do capture it, post it here in the classifieds. Maybe someone will want it as a pet.

 

dsoz

[CA2OR]

yeah no kidding. I have also heard that a fresh water dip will drive them out.

[JasonH]

Not sure I could get it entirely out of the hole with any kind of bait. The one time I saw it, it just came partially out of the hole to attack a hermit crab who wandered too close. When I moved the rock it was in, there was a sad little shell graveyard below it.

 

Club soda? Interesting. Like a whole bucket of club soda - and if so wouldn't that still kill it and everything else - or just some club soda in a bucket of mostly salt water?

 

Thanks for the feedback so far. I'd love to be able to catch it and give it away to someone who wants it - 'cuz I don't.

[snowpunk]

Kinda off subject, but I had no clue how big Mantis really got until a few days ago. I saw one that was like 8" or so.:eek: It looked like a small lobster!!! I would get it out before it gets that big. Gonna cost a bit to get one that big enough food.

[CA2OR]

was that the one at the store you and I went to?

[JasonH]

Ha ha - snowpunk, I'd hate to think about what it's cost me to feed that little *$&@% already. I didn't really consider the possibility that I had one until my fire shrimp disappeared - then I started watching much more closely.

 

But, your post is very much on point. If I have one, it's a small one. The hole it came out of was tiny - wide but narrow. It's not a big mantis (if it is one), but it must have been in my tank since day one - 4ish years ago.

[CA2OR]

have you lost any hermit's or snails lately?

[JasonH]

have you lost any hermit's or snails lately?

 

Well, I think so. I have a declining hermit/snail population. So either my water quality isn't good and they are dying off, or something is killing them. My corals seems to be doing fine... so I leaning toward mantis.

 

But, like I said, I just saw the one quick glimpse. I'm not totally sure. I might have to spend a few late nights armed with a red light and some Widmer.

[CA2OR]

I am under the impression that Mantis kill hermits and snails. Someone correct me if I am wrong.

[Lowman]

A quick dip in fresh ro/di water will drive it out of the rock. make sure the water is as close to your tank temp as possible. I don't think it will kill the rock to dip it like that. I have done it several times to get pests out. There are several kinds of these little buggers. If it is a peacock mantis, you may be able to trade it at LFS.

[Michael7979]

No. You are correct.

 

Just pull the rock that the mantis is in and pour some seltzer water into the hole you believe he is living in. That should cause him to leave the hole. Do it over a bucket of water and save him.... somebody will take him.

[CA2OR]

I do believe he is sellable. Or at least worth a trade.

[JasonH]

All right - thanks all for the input. I'll give this a try tomorrow night. First I'll try the seltzer, then I'll try a fresh water dip. I'll take some pictures in case it works and I get him out.

 

If I get him out alive, he's free to whomever wants him.

 

If I'm wrong and there was no mantis shrimp... I will say it worked and I killed him and none of the pictures turned out (laugh)

[Benny503]

yeah no kidding. I have also heard that a fresh water dip will drive them out.

 

I tried it and it doesn't work. DOH!

[JasonH]

I tried it and it doesn't work. DOH!

 

Benny, tell me more. What was your experience - what worked, what didn't?

[Benny503]

Well, I think so. I have a declining hermit/snail population. So either my water quality isn't good and they are dying off, or something is killing them. My corals seems to be doing fine... so I leaning toward mantis.

 

But, like I said, I just saw the one quick glimpse. I'm not totally sure. I might have to spend a few late nights armed with a red light and some Widmer.

 

 

All I did was used my a chop stick and taping on the hole where I last saw the mantis and it surely will come out and try to attack my chop stick. I play with it for while before I took the rock outside and put it in a bucket of my changed water. The rock still in the bucket but I haven't feed it since two weeks ago. I hope the mantis will come out and leave the rock or die of starvation. (naughty)

[Jay]

If you know what hole he is in....just take out the rock and pour some boiling water down the hole. Then go grab some butter and a beer and salt and pepper to taste : )

 

Jay

[snowpunk]

was that the one at the store you and I went to?

Yep, that was the one. He was huge!

 

 

oh, and jay, your making me hungry...:p

[fishmanmike01]

If you can get him alive ill take em!

[CA2OR]

see....told you someone would want him

[JasonH]

It appears that I was making a mountain out of a mole hill - more precisely, a mantis shrimp out of a pistol shrimp. RIP little pistol shrimp.

[spectra]

Well that sucks as the pistol would have done nothing to the tank. They are neat little critters to watch especialy if they are mated with a shrimp goby.

[JasonH]

Yeah, I wish I had been able to save him. But what do they eat - would he be able to eat hermits/snails? Or would he be too small? I saw a pistol shrimp kill and eat a cleaner shrimp once on a discovery channel show (really neat actually).

 

Here is a pic: