Hitchhiker Mantis

[critmin]

I have a hitchhiker mantis in my tank and I've had him for a few months. I was kind of annoyed when I realized he was there but I've been observing and I don't see any fish or shrimp missing. So I was wondering, what is he eating? I feed my fish the formula frozen cubes. Do they eat that? Anyway I just thought it was weird that nothing seems to be missing and yet he is still alive.

 

[Monkeyfish]

They eat different things. I feed our peacock mantis live snails, frozen shrimp (thawed of course) and pieces of silverside. He may be eating some leftover food or you may not have an accurate count on your snails and crabs .

Be careful when cleaning the tank - you do NOT want to get hit by a mantis. Some of them have smashing power similar to that of a .22 bullet.

 

[dantodd]

very few have the hitting power of a .22 bullet. If he's a hitchhiker then he def. doesn't have that kind of power. Smaller guys can hurt and can draw blood so keep an eye on him when you put your hands in the tank but it's the foot long plus uys with the bulllet like strikes.

 

[critmin]

Do you know how I can catch him without removing rocks? I would like to set up a tank for him so he can do his thing without posing any threat. Thanks.

 

[dantodd]

you can try a coke bottle trap. Start spot feeding him pieces of shrimp so he's used to coming out to eat. Then make a fish trap out of a plastic coke bottle. You can find the plans and pics in this forum, just search on trap.

 

[icyuod2]

i took a small piece of wire, twisted it around itself and forced in into the mantis burrow (dont use copper wire) placed a net infront of the second opening of the mantis burrow and pushed him right out. he shot out like a bullet and right into the net.
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=84397&hl=snap
this was after the bottle trap and others mantis traps failed me.

if you do desided to use the bottle trap, drill a small hole in the bottom of the bottle. this will allow the water to circulate through the bottle, place the bottle in such away that the small hole is in the dirrect current of a powerhead,filter etc.
(this will help get the scent of the bait out of the bottle and to the mantis/crab)
i tried the bottle trick many times unsuccessfully. after adding a second hole to the bottle, i've since snagged 4 crabs with a bottle trap.
hth.