mantis dilema/got him (update)

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I tried shooting seltzer water. He clicked alot but stayed fast. But, I finally got him out by cracking part of the rock. He's not happy and I thought he was dead for awhile but he's moving around now. I'll get some pics posted later. Thanks everyone.
 
Here he is...

He's still coming around and starting to move more after the "trama" of having his home invaded.
 
Well, for now he's in a bare tank with just pvc and a hob filter. I didn't have time to do much with him today but I guess I'll do him up right. He's lived through so much, gotta respect that. LOL Now that he's out of my main tank and not eating my fish and snails, I can be glad he's ok. I'll post some pics once he's set up right. He's not the most beautiful mantis but I think he's kinda cool. I thought he was brown til I got him out and seen he's actually red with some green.
 
I guess he's about 3-3.5". He looked much bigger in my main tank. But, I usually only seen the front of him flared out and all or a streak of him moving back into a rock. He's about .5" wide.
 
Congrats on the Seek & Destroy Mission
Nasty bugger.

I've got a Pistol or a Mantis in my tank.

I just ordered a Mantis trap.
Let's see if I have one.

Did you ever spot yours in the tank just swiming around?
I'd love to see what is clicking in my tank but it wont ever come out in the open.
 
BTW

Q:

did your Mantio usually click multiple times in a row or just one click at a time? Or was it like what I have, No pattern. It might be a few clicks in a row and it might be just one.

Thanks
 
Mantis Trap
http://www.northcoastmarines.com/TRAPS.HTM

I tried the wine glass and shrimp method for a few days and didnt catch anything, not even the crabs I can spot in my tank.

I had a Mantis in the shipping bag my LR came in, So I've seen them in person.

They swim amazing. I think they could get out of a wine glass. They are not like crabs. The one I had would swim all over the place.
RIP little guy.

I am really hoping it's a Pistol Shrimp.
 
Yeah, I've seen him out but he was always to quick for me. He doesn't swim, just crawls around and behind the rocks. I never noticed any clicking til a few months ago. Even then it was only one click here and there. No real pattern to it. I've had my share of clicks over the last two days though. LOL Good luck catching it if that's what you have.
 
Yeah....the baited wineglass trick won't do a thing for a mantis. They can swim amazingly fast if they want to.

El Diablo.....don't take this as Gospel....it's just a generalization. Pistols USUALLY only click at night and USUALLY only once in a while. However, have a Electric Blue Halloween crab come near the den and you will find that they are quite capable of multiple clicks if need be.

Mantis sometimes will only click once but sometimes they are extending their den in the LR and will click repeatedly or if they grabbed a snail, they will bang on the shell until it is either cracked open or the snail is stunned enough to be flipped over. A snail shell graveyard in one area of the tank would be an indication of a mantis and also where the mantis den is.

You should also look for empty snail shells or small live rock rubble that change position. Just keep a mental note of where the small pieces are and keep watching to see if they get moved. (You haven't seen anything until you see a mantis swimming with a piece of rubble that is bigger than the mantis). More than likely, they are being moved to the opening of their den.
 
I saw something dark brown with legs duck back into a hole in my rock. it could be a mantis!!! I also thought I caught a click or two the other night... crossing fingers and hoping its a pistol shrimp.

whatever it is, its making a pretty good burrow for itself.
 
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