I know I have 1 or more manits shrimp in my tank because they click at night and one of my clown fish and 2 peppermint shrimp have mysteriously disappeared! How do I catch this damn shrimp? I can not see them, they are very sneaky!!! I can't get anymore livestock until I catch these things. So how do you guys do it? Also I know there are traps I can buy, but where? Thanks for any implies.
How to catch this mantis shrimp?
- Thread starter Bogey
- Start date
Steve Hicks
New member
I've caught two using the 'X-terminator' available at the link below for $15 or so. One time I baited with raw shrimp, the other time with cod. I placed couple of pieces of rock on top so it seemed more like a cave and left it that way over night.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?siteid=6&pCatId=3964
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?siteid=6&pCatId=3964
u could try club soda at 35 ppt S.G. dipping your rock in it he will roll out if he is in it then grab him up and send him to me,u can do the dip if its not to much trouble but if u have alot of stuff i would trap,i would love to give him a home if u get him, cdmck@direcway.com if u want to get rid of him i would pay
isildursbane
New member
Catching Mantis Shrimp
Catching Mantis Shrimp
I bought the X-terminator trap, but one night I was watching the tank and saw a Mantis Shrimp sitting on top of the pressure plate of the trap, eating the silver side I used as bait! So, I drilled a small hole at the top of the trap door, and tied a fishing line to it. Then, I could just sit there while I looked at the tank, and when he went for the silver side, And He Will!, I just closed him up in there, all done.
I caught three Odontodactylus scyallarus total out of my Gulf Aquacultured live rock. The way I caught a couple of them was just watching which rocks they were hiding in, and then yanking the rocks out and giving them a little dip in Freshwater.
There is no need to use the Club Soda at 35 ppt as mentioned above by the previous poster. Freshwater will work just fine! I now have a Mantis Shrimp living in my sump(Rosco P. Coltrain). They are fascinating creatures, owing to how cunning they are.
Hope this helps!
Catching Mantis Shrimp
I bought the X-terminator trap, but one night I was watching the tank and saw a Mantis Shrimp sitting on top of the pressure plate of the trap, eating the silver side I used as bait! So, I drilled a small hole at the top of the trap door, and tied a fishing line to it. Then, I could just sit there while I looked at the tank, and when he went for the silver side, And He Will!, I just closed him up in there, all done.
I caught three Odontodactylus scyallarus total out of my Gulf Aquacultured live rock. The way I caught a couple of them was just watching which rocks they were hiding in, and then yanking the rocks out and giving them a little dip in Freshwater.
There is no need to use the Club Soda at 35 ppt as mentioned above by the previous poster. Freshwater will work just fine! I now have a Mantis Shrimp living in my sump(Rosco P. Coltrain). They are fascinating creatures, owing to how cunning they are.
Hope this helps!
Well, I've caught six in the last month. The key is to find its hole. Once you find its den, its just a matter of time. I have caught them using three different techniques.
First and easiest if they are hungry is to cut a section of schedule 80 PVC and drill some holes in it. Tie a thread to one end and block the other end with a piece of pantyhose and a rubberband. Bait the trap with some raw seafood. Ive used small chunks of mussels, oysters, ocean perch, and shrimp from the local grocery store. Place the bait 3-4 inches inside the trap using a toothpick to skewer it through one of your drilled holes. Put it in the tank very near its hole (within 1 inch), and hold onto the thread. If he is hungry, he will probably come looking right away. If not, try again later. You must stay and watch, as they go in and quickly come back out. Without the toothpick, they will just steal your bait very quickly. This happened at first, and the shrimp was in and out with the bait in about 4 sec. As soon as he goes in after the bait, yank him out quickly. I caught 4 mantis this way. BTW, they are usually very interested at first, but must check out all of the tube before they venture in. This may take up to 1/2 hr of them testing the tube before they go in. So crack a beer and sit back and go fishing for some shrimp. It is actually pretty fun.
Another way is to start a siphon at the hole entrance with atleast a 1/2 diameter tubing. Then try poking from the other opening as most will find a lair with a back door. He will usually come shooting out after a few pokes from the other end. I caught one with this method that wouldn't go into my traps, but would allow me to hand feed it from a tweezers. A smart one, but I outsmarted him.
Lastly, if the rock is small, and you can easily access it, pull it out and poke in the hole over a bucket of saltwater, and it will most likely come shooting out the back door. I caught one this way too.
Good luck!
Andy
First and easiest if they are hungry is to cut a section of schedule 80 PVC and drill some holes in it. Tie a thread to one end and block the other end with a piece of pantyhose and a rubberband. Bait the trap with some raw seafood. Ive used small chunks of mussels, oysters, ocean perch, and shrimp from the local grocery store. Place the bait 3-4 inches inside the trap using a toothpick to skewer it through one of your drilled holes. Put it in the tank very near its hole (within 1 inch), and hold onto the thread. If he is hungry, he will probably come looking right away. If not, try again later. You must stay and watch, as they go in and quickly come back out. Without the toothpick, they will just steal your bait very quickly. This happened at first, and the shrimp was in and out with the bait in about 4 sec. As soon as he goes in after the bait, yank him out quickly. I caught 4 mantis this way. BTW, they are usually very interested at first, but must check out all of the tube before they venture in. This may take up to 1/2 hr of them testing the tube before they go in. So crack a beer and sit back and go fishing for some shrimp. It is actually pretty fun.
Another way is to start a siphon at the hole entrance with atleast a 1/2 diameter tubing. Then try poking from the other opening as most will find a lair with a back door. He will usually come shooting out after a few pokes from the other end. I caught one with this method that wouldn't go into my traps, but would allow me to hand feed it from a tweezers. A smart one, but I outsmarted him.
Lastly, if the rock is small, and you can easily access it, pull it out and poke in the hole over a bucket of saltwater, and it will most likely come shooting out the back door. I caught one this way too.
Good luck!
Andy
RogueCorps
New member
Great info...
Thanks for posting that Andy. I've been wondering about the success of PVC and panty hose traps.
-Rogue
Thanks for posting that Andy. I've been wondering about the success of PVC and panty hose traps.
-Rogue
