Victory is mine! - ha ha ha

[EBR]

After 8 months or so, I finally got off my ass and went after the final (I hope) mantis shrimp after witnessing him devour a snail just 10 seconds after I put it in the tank:

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=42655&highlight=

So now what to do with him? I'd like a smaller mantis tank, but I really don't have the space or time for it (he's in QT right now). Any takers before offering him to the LFS? I'm in MD.

Matt

 

[Fluff]

Where in MD are you?

 

[EBR]

near DC

 

[Fluff]

I'll be along 270 on Sat and could take your manits. Anywhere close to there? I had plan to check out some lfs down that way. Tropcal Fish World, Aquatic Creations and Roozen Nursery.

 

[143gadgets]

hey i live in DC and would love to have him if fluff doesn't want it. I am in NW near silver spring.

 

[clowninround]

How did you catch him? With the trap or pulling the rock?

 

[EBR]

Sorry I didn't answer back right away.

Fluff: Saturday is tough. I'm actually closer to the Annapolis side of MD (not sure what I was thinking when I said "near DC" -- sorry), so the 270-ish area is quite a hike. Do you ever get to House of Tropicals in Glen Burnie? They refused to take him, but I might be able to have them hold him for you to pick up -- although that's quite a way distance for you, then. Then again, the manager did say he didn't want to introduce it to his system (so maybe not). Let me know what you think.

clowninround: I caught this one with a net. I've got 120# LR in a 55, so the 'scaping is pretty tall. Of course, the little bugger was under the bottom rock, so I had to take out quite a bit just to get to it. Anyway, he wasn't as skittish as I thought he'd be. I lifted the rock, and he only scooted a little bit to the edge of the tank where I cornered him with the net. I caught the first one back in July with a home made trap (see pic).

Matt

 

[Ayesha97]

its a shame they are such a pain... they are really quite pretty creatures.

 

[youronlysin]

I wonder what one of those could do to your hand if you tried to grab it.

 

[aquafreak]

i've only seen them in tanks alone -- maybe a separate tank?

 

[MarineFlake]

They can split your thumb wide open..

http://www.garf.org/trever/MANTIS/MANTIS.html

 

[clowninround]

what is the netting part of the trap. That actually seems a lot better than the one I bought

 

[EBR]

It's from the curved part of a 2 liter soda bottle. Inspiration for the trap came from the article I mention here:

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=40654&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=10

It took a couple of trys to get it right so there weren't too many fingers. Of course, even though the first mantis fell for it on the first night, the second (the one I netted) never went near it.

Good luck.
Matt

 

[Fluff]

Yeah, that is a bit off track. Hmmm. Well, clownin also mentioned interest in it so, perhaps you two can work something out. If you still need a home for it by next week, I could probably make it to the annapolis area next Sat. Let me know.

Oh, and does the one you have now look like the one in the pic?

 

[EBR]

Actually, no. The one I netted is brown, rather then the blue/green.