Help mantis shrimp

[Thomsona]

Hello

I allways suspected I had one but today I've seen it

Today I put in a new hammer coral , orange brittle star and a chromis as one of my other ones died a few weeks back

As soon as this new fish swam near this hole this thing shot out gave it a massive boot and shot back in needles to say new fish dead

It then cam out again I guess to check it's handy work it was all black about 10 cm long I tried getting a photo but it shot back in

Now how do I catch this prick I'm at the stage where everything's nice and established for 8-9 months I was just about to start my stocking (all ready have cuc)

Any help would be appreciated

Cheers

 

[slitherbomb]

Are you able to get the rock out?

 

[Thomsona]

It's as it would be at the bottom of three other rocks

 

[slitherbomb]

Is that a yes...? No? Because if you could take the rock out, you would be able to take the mantis shrimp out alive and you would be able to give it to a lfs for credit or sell it here online.

 

[Thomsona]

Ahhh I'll try it'd gonna re arrange everything im in aus so can't sell online and Lfs won't credit

Is there a trap or something

 

[slitherbomb]

If you aren't squeamish, I guess you could get a stick and shove it in the hole, killing it..... But that sounds so horrible! I guess that would be an option to take it out without rearranging the rocks.

 

[Thomsona]

So nothing like a shrimp trap then

 

[slitherbomb]

Idk if there is one

 

[jsmith]

So nothing like a shrimp trap then

Yea... take ur self a 500ml soda bottle cut tip off.. place it at a slight angle off some rock near it.. and place some pellets.. it will go in but be unable to get out.. post it on your local craigslist.. alot of poeple like them for species only tanks

 

[mr_X]

don't kill it! it didn't ask to be in your tank. remove the rock and take it to the lfs for credit.

 

[Thomsona]

Lfs don't want it still haven't caught it so going Down the path of release in ocean ?

 

[Badfishofbabylon]

I agree with X, don't kill the little guy. If you can take the piece of rock out and dip in fresh water, hyper or hypo salinity water for a few minutes he should come out of the rock on his own. Be careful because if it's killing fish it's usually a sign of a spear type mantis and they can cut you hands up badly. Although if its in the rock thats a sign of a smasher, if it is a smasher I would suggest setting up a cheap species tank. They don't take much too keep, I have 2 mantis myself and they are by far the most interesting and fun to watch off all my live stock