Free Mantis Shrimp

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Judo1,

I'm not having too much luck with the trap and I don't want to pick up the rock. I stopped feeding the tank in hopes to lure him out for the bait.

Be patient! Don't worry, as soon as I can get him, he's still yours!
Keep the tank ready for him.

He's clicking away today, must need food!
 
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Here's some pics...

mantis10.jpg


mantis5.jpg


Isn't he cute???
 
I was thinkig of that too! I toyed with the idea of putting him in one of those "disposable" ziplock continers that you can now get at the grocery store.

That's if I can catch him! He's not going for the trap I set. Any ideas of a better way to trap him? I sure could use some advise on this one.

What do you think?
 
I guess I came in to this thread too late. :(

I, too, am looking for a mantis. I haven't had luck with one that was being shipped out (it wasn't insulated enough and froze).

Now I have a bare 20 gallon tank that is desperately seeking a mantis occupant...
 
speak to your lfs, mine check all their liverock and if they find a mantis i get a call and pick up my free mantis! my last 4 have been free and i got a nice 3" mantis today.
 
He looks great!!!

As to shipping methods/containers, I'm still thinking... (just woke up :) ). Not too tired to say thank you again, though. Thanks, cat! :)

I wish my LFS here in Podunck would even get LR, much less a mantis shrimp. They think I'm crazy! With my first 200 lbs of Live Rock (picked up in Tampa four years ago), no "luck". With a recent 50-lb order of "uncured", no luck either. Man, I bet if I hated Mantis Shrimp they would be all over my tank! :p
 
I've asked my LFS about it repeatedly. They never get any mantis shrimp, or at least they haven't in a long long time.

I haven't tried the uncured live rock business, but I may, depending on how much money I save in the next few months.:p
 
I think (???) this mantis came from some uncured rock I got from Gulf-View. Can't really say for sure but seems like it. I've gotten rock from a couple different places. Wanted to mix it up.

The rock I got from gulf view had alot of life on it (and alot of die off from shipping as well)

By the way Judo, this little rascal is cleaver!!! I'm not having too much luck with the trap. Going to see if my lfs has a trap. I don't want to do the soda water thing or I might kill him. Or stress him too much just before shipping him. He has a burrow in the sand and lives under the rock in the sand as well as in the rock.

We have been having fun showing him to everyone this past week. I can't believe I only just found him!

I got some "zip lock" tupperware containers today and guess I'll put him in a couple of them to ship (when I get him). I agree the baggie idea isn't too great. He'll have that sliced in a second!

And by the way, you are quite welcome...I am enjoying the idea of giving it to someone who I know wants him so badly!

I'll keep you posted on my "progress" or lack of!

I also have a shipping box from IPSF that I saved to send him in so I think he'll make it ok.
 
Don't worry about getting in a rush, unless you want to! :p
I'm not pushy (well, usually :) )... now that I know he's coming I can wait (I guess :p ).
I hate that you had to order a trap!!!
From the pictures, it looks like there are several rocks in the tank... if you isolate him down to one, and take the others out (this is a 10-gallon, right?), would traps (homemade or otherwise) not work better? Or at least it would improve your chances of catching him away from rocks, and you could pull the last one out.
What I would do (and it probably wouldn't work) would be to put all the rock except his back in your other tank(s), and put his in one corner... leave him alone after that for quite a while (overnight?), and then drop some food in the opposite corner of the tank. Assuming he hasn't eaten in a while, if he came out for the food, you could pull the last rock out. Of course, if you leave the food in there without watching him, he will just eat when you're not around, and baited traps might not work if he gets free food without braving a new object (the trap).
Of course, just like everyone without kids knows the best way to raise them, I'm just a guy without a Mantis Shrimp telling you how to catch him! :p

JMO

-JoN
 
To The Soon To Be Mantis Shrimp Owner (Judo1),

Great idea! The tank is a 20 gal. I have a damsel in there too who I guess I'll catch and put in my sump for the meantime. Either that or he'll loose his hiding spot and probably get slashed!I'll get all the rock out, only about 4 pieces, and move his over to the corner. The trap should be here later this week but I'm going to keep on trying anyhow. Then I can put the trap in as well as the coke bottle.

Maybe after getting the rock out, I can lure him out and have the tank bare of rock.................still scared to reach in there though!

If so........................I'll have him!!!!! Mr Mantis is not going to make sport of me anymore! I am going to win this battle!
 
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What kind of mastermind is this that the people of the web must unite and devise a plan to outsmart him?

:rollface:
 
Judo1,

I GOT HIM, I GOT HIM, I GOT HIM, I GOT HIM, I GOT HIM!!!!!!!

I was so excited, I posted it on the wrong thread!!!!!

Go to the other thread about mantis and stars (Green Death)

YAAA HOOOO!!!!!
 
Oops!

I was so excited I replied in the wrong thread!
We've both been posting on the same three threads concerning this little guy. :)

Whoo-hoo again!

:rollface:
 
Judo,

I read that thread too! THIS is the right one now! Tomorrow, I'm going to put the rock into another tank and then I can try your lure him out and pick up the ole rock trick. (trap whould be here by the end of the week, hehe)

He'll probably rip up my nets though. I have 5 of them! I also have the ziplock containers sitting right next to the bucket along with nets, pliers (to pick up rock with) and kitchen tongs.

There's only an airstone in there now. Don't want to leave him like that longer than a day so tomorrow, I'm going to put him in an acrylic tank I have ready to use for a refug. (glad I didn't get to that this past weekend!)

I should have him by the end of the week.

I should probably fed-ex him so he gets there the next day. What do you think? What am I going to say when they ask the contents? A SLASHING MANTIS SHRIMP!!!!!! ROFL!!!!!!!!!

Well, I'll update of my hunt in the morning!
 
Well!

Sounds like you've got everything ready to get him... where's he at now?

Tell FedEx there's a mogwai in the box! What are they going to do, look at you funny? :) Then you could tell them the truth... they'd still think you were kidding!!! LOL

:rollface:
 
Hi,

He's in a separate tank now with only him and his rock. I've been so busy this week, I havn't had time to mess around with it. Now with tomorrow being Friday, I think I should just let him there and get him over the weekend and then I can ship on Monday. Sound good to you?

Trap not here yet.

Did you read the thread on Mantis shipping? Also, Dr Ron thinks the ziplock containers is a good idea.

I'm getting kind of attached to him now. (don't worry) He really is pretty interesting! What size tank are you going to have him in? Get some squid, he really likes it!

Well, looks like shipping will be on Monday. I'll get another pic for you and post it :)
 
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