how to catch a very smart mantis shrimp

[tim.hunt7]

i know so many people have proberly asked this but how can i catch a mantis out of my reef tank he is eating all my bristleworms and crabs etc etc i tried the inverted coke bottle trap the bait even got half eaten but he managed to escape any other ideas

 

[krazeekiddie]

They are crafty, the most successfull way I have seen, is basically tearing down the rock, which is not always the best option for you! Especially for a crafty escape artist!

 

[Onte]

We had a mantis issue too - we watched the tank for a few days and figured out which rock they were hanging out in, then removed the entire rock. Our little buddies were a diurnal variety though, so maybe easier said than done in your case. Other than that, trapping is the only method I've heard of.

 

[justinl]

are you sure it was the mantis who took the bait? not a worm or something?