How did YOU deal with your mantis shrimp?

[midiman]

I ordered an XTerminator trap, which I'll try first. In the meantime, all new additions are on hold until I get the bugger. Once I get the XTerminator, I have to decide how long to continue to try it.

Any feelings about the following options?

1) Traps

2) FW dip of live rock

3) Hypersalinity dip (1.04 SG)

4) Club soda injections into LR holes?

5) Pour full strength Clorox bleach into tank



(ok, maybe not #5).

 

[born2chill]

Whatever you do, do not expose your rock to hyposalinity!!!! It will kill off just about all the life on your rock and you can expect a large ammonia spike from the dieoff that will ensue.

 

[MikeyB]

The only thing I have caught with the X-terminator is my skunk cleaners and diff types of crabs. I bought the trap as soon as I saw the mantis. Then while waiting for it to get to my house I caught the mantis. I have one more mantis that I can hear, but I am yet to see this one. The trap has been in the tank everynight for over 2 weeks. The good news is that the trap works and the mantis that is in there really does not hurt anything.

 

[midiman]

?

Then while waiting for it to get to my house I caught the mantis

How did you catch it????

 

[Brad]

I caught mine by identifying which rock he was living in, removing that rock to a bucket of regular tank water, then plunging the rock in and out of the tank water a few times. By the 3rd or 4th plunge, he abandoned ship into the bucket.

He now lives in a 5 gallon beside the main tank.

If he won't jump for it, suspend the rock above the bottom of the bucket (rock still submerged), and place food at the bottom of the bucket. Wait...when he goes for the food, pull the rock out. Best if the food is attached to something so he has to work at it for a few seconds. Don't leave the food in there too long or you will build up ammonia in the bucket and damage the rock.

 

[MikeyB]

I used a cold Saltwater after sitting in it for a little while he came out a little then I took a bamboo scewer and pride it out of the whole.

 

[SpiffyCat]

Watch you tank and find out where it lives. If you can remove that rock while the shrimp's still in it you've got a number of options to chase it out and catch it.

 

[midiman]

I just saw him! I jabbed at the hole with a bamboo and then a stainless steel skewer for 5 min (I know, metal in the tank :| ). I think I enlarged the hole 1/4" by scraping, plunging, poking and jabbing with the skewer.

Now I have to get rid of my peppermint shrimp, whcih are apparently mowing down a group of little baby featherduster on a rock, which look like a field of dandelions (a.k.a. my back yard). They took care of my little field of aiptasia, though, which looked like a field of dandelions ...

 

[Gatorfreak]

My peppermint shrimp did the exact same thing... mowed down a bunch of feather dusters (after getting rid of all my aptasia).

 

[arminkropp]

I'm SURE #5 would work!
though I wouldnt suggest it.

on the other hand.........their so damn resilient they would probably survive!!! j/k