Help me trap my mantis
- Thread starter wismie
- Start date
mykdf
New member
I'm in the same boat wismie-
I'm starting to doubt myself that I even saw the little green guy. Then again, I KNOW, ABSOLUTELY KNOW, that I saw a little green mantis.
I'm going to try the bottle trap again in a few days. I'm sort of trying to starve him out by not introducing any food into the tank (except for a silverside on a stick for about 10 minutes/day-my peppermints gotta eat, don't you know?)
I'll probably use one of the hitchhiker crabs I caught as bait. See if that works. The guy at the LFS didn't think that live brine shrimp would be worth much of a try.
Anyone have any idea what kind of mantis might ride in on some really nice rock from Bali? I've looked at Roy's List and still haven't come to a conclusion as to what I've got. Like I said before, he's green and 2 inches or less. I'm pretty sure I saw him hunting pods. I am also pretty sure that I've heard him clicking away (although I suppose it could be the pistol shrimp I've seen).
I'm starting to doubt myself that I even saw the little green guy. Then again, I KNOW, ABSOLUTELY KNOW, that I saw a little green mantis.
I'm going to try the bottle trap again in a few days. I'm sort of trying to starve him out by not introducing any food into the tank (except for a silverside on a stick for about 10 minutes/day-my peppermints gotta eat, don't you know?)
I'll probably use one of the hitchhiker crabs I caught as bait. See if that works. The guy at the LFS didn't think that live brine shrimp would be worth much of a try.
Anyone have any idea what kind of mantis might ride in on some really nice rock from Bali? I've looked at Roy's List and still haven't come to a conclusion as to what I've got. Like I said before, he's green and 2 inches or less. I'm pretty sure I saw him hunting pods. I am also pretty sure that I've heard him clicking away (although I suppose it could be the pistol shrimp I've seen).
Didn't try that, but I certainly looked at each rock one by one as I removed everything. Will try the powerhead stuff, it won't hurt.
I didn't hear it for a few days, though, is it possible it's simply dead ? Seeing how it survived the trip to my tank, I wouldn't count on it, but on the other hand, I don't want to wait years to put livestock on my tank (I mean, once the cycle is completed)
I didn't hear it for a few days, though, is it possible it's simply dead ? Seeing how it survived the trip to my tank, I wouldn't count on it, but on the other hand, I don't want to wait years to put livestock on my tank (I mean, once the cycle is completed)
KDDG
New member
I'm in the same boat with you guys. We started with 5 & we have only caught 1. One of the remaining mantis is about 3". I know where they all live. We have tried the high salinity dip. I also blew water directly in the large mantis's hole. He did not emerge. Then he just looked at me like "Who told you that would work? HA!" Then he built a little shell door so I could not look at him anymore that day. I have to admit I'm growing kind of fond of him. I am considering setting him up a tank if I ever catch him. The others are sneaky, too. So, I guess we'll keep trying the bottle trap if there are no other ideas...
Koshmar
The Hardy Mongolian Pony
This is really something else. I can't believe all of these things haven't worked. We need to figure out a magic bullet method to trap any mantis everytime. This frustrates me and I'm not even trying to remove them myself! I'm thinking about playing off the strengths and weaknesses of the stomatopod itself.
Where are they weak?
1. During a molt obviously.
2. They require sufficient calcium to create their exoskeleton.
3. Temperature must be stable.
4. Salinity must be stable.
5. Oxygen concentration.
6. Ph levels.
7. Nutritional requirements: meat.
I'm thinking if we can do something with the rock or introduce something to make the mantis leave the rock yet not harm it. Arghhh, racking my brain on this...
Where are they weak?
1. During a molt obviously.
2. They require sufficient calcium to create their exoskeleton.
3. Temperature must be stable.
4. Salinity must be stable.
5. Oxygen concentration.
6. Ph levels.
7. Nutritional requirements: meat.
I'm thinking if we can do something with the rock or introduce something to make the mantis leave the rock yet not harm it. Arghhh, racking my brain on this...
Koshmar
The Hardy Mongolian Pony
I have two dedicated tanks for my three stomatopods and cuttlefish. I use plastic dividers to prevent mantis murder.
Don't give up but if you do decide to leave the mantis in the tank you should know that their reputation is drastically overblown. If you keep it well fed the chances of it killing other inhabitants will be reduced.
Don't give up but if you do decide to leave the mantis in the tank you should know that their reputation is drastically overblown. If you keep it well fed the chances of it killing other inhabitants will be reduced.
That's also what my LFS says. He has the same (corner) tank than me at home (never seen it, though) and also has a mantis that came with the rocks inside. He didn't try to remove it and says that he sees his mantis from time to time at feeding time. Apparently, he didn't had any casualties due to the mantis.
But I guess it's a bit a question of chance here, some will leave the other inhabitants quiet and some other won't.
But I guess it's a bit a question of chance here, some will leave the other inhabitants quiet and some other won't.
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mykdf
New member
I sure hope y'all are right about the mantis's reputation for murder being overblown. I got tired of looking at my empty tank and put some fish in there. Heck, the mantis did not kill the peppermint shrimps or emerald crab . . . as of today, he has not killed my barred goby or ocellaris clowns. I figure he will or he won't. Hopefully, as time goes on, he'll get more adventuresome and come out a bit more. If he starts coming out, I'll redouble my efforts to catch him. At this point, I've sort of given up. Ill try the bottle trap every now and again but . . .
Keep your fingers crossed for my fish! I certainly have mine crossed.
Keep your fingers crossed for my fish! I certainly have mine crossed.
Ok now I can confirm I have two mantises (well, at least).
One is quite small (2-3 cms), brown/black, and is the one I saw initially. A few days ago, I saw a bigger one (5-6 cms), green with brown spots, quite nice.
I could not take any pcitures, that was just too fast. They seem to have shared the aquarium, one is on the right side, the other one on the left.
I did populate my aquarium, with hermit crabs, fishes, astrea and shrimps (2 cleaner shrimps and 3 blood shrimps).
Main casualties seem to be the astreas and the hermit crabs, although the small ones seems to be ok. Otherwise, so far everyone seem to live happily with those two monsters in the tank !
One is quite small (2-3 cms), brown/black, and is the one I saw initially. A few days ago, I saw a bigger one (5-6 cms), green with brown spots, quite nice.
I could not take any pcitures, that was just too fast. They seem to have shared the aquarium, one is on the right side, the other one on the left.
I did populate my aquarium, with hermit crabs, fishes, astrea and shrimps (2 cleaner shrimps and 3 blood shrimps).
Main casualties seem to be the astreas and the hermit crabs, although the small ones seems to be ok. Otherwise, so far everyone seem to live happily with those two monsters in the tank !
