So today I'm checking out my tank and I notice a pair of eyes on the end of stalks peering up out of a micro cave in the LR. I got a flash light and saw enough of the head to be pretty sure it was a mantis. I got the shaft of my algae scrapper and was thinking I could squash it like a bug. To my surprise when the shaft end got close to the hole the darn thing came out of its hole to size up this potential meal. Then it scooted into a different area of the LR.
It dawned on me that this bugger was the likely demise of a fire & a banded coral shrimp over the last couple of weeks. The hunt was on.
I had read that if one soaked LR in a high salt solution that it would drive the inverts out and you could keep what you wanted and toss the rest. So I removed each piece of LR in succession from left to right. I will say I was careful where I put my fingers due to the stories I had heard. I had just dismantled the pile of LR on the left side of the when I of course saw him scoot to the pile of LR on the right side of the tank.
This was turning into a major project. The soaking was driving out lots bristle worms but no mantis. After soaking every piece that could be a hideout I came up with a different plan. Shrimp seem very sensitive to acclimation so I decided to try and shock it out of the rock by going from a very high salinity dunk in warm water to cold fresh water. This netted a few more bristle worms but no mantis. Then a luck would have it I was taking a piece Of LR out of the fresh water bucket and just saw him clear as day sticking half way out of the hole. He wasn't moving so I used a pair of forceps to gently pull him out. I figured he was DOA but I out him a cup filled with tank water. Within a few minutes he scooting around in high gear. Talk about being tough.
I haven't decided if he's going down the toilet or if he might be worth saving for a separate tank. He's about 1 1/2 - 2 inches in length. The thing is I haven't gotten any LR 8-10 months so this guy has been stealthy for quite a while.
It dawned on me that this bugger was the likely demise of a fire & a banded coral shrimp over the last couple of weeks. The hunt was on.
I had read that if one soaked LR in a high salt solution that it would drive the inverts out and you could keep what you wanted and toss the rest. So I removed each piece of LR in succession from left to right. I will say I was careful where I put my fingers due to the stories I had heard. I had just dismantled the pile of LR on the left side of the when I of course saw him scoot to the pile of LR on the right side of the tank.
This was turning into a major project. The soaking was driving out lots bristle worms but no mantis. After soaking every piece that could be a hideout I came up with a different plan. Shrimp seem very sensitive to acclimation so I decided to try and shock it out of the rock by going from a very high salinity dunk in warm water to cold fresh water. This netted a few more bristle worms but no mantis. Then a luck would have it I was taking a piece Of LR out of the fresh water bucket and just saw him clear as day sticking half way out of the hole. He wasn't moving so I used a pair of forceps to gently pull him out. I figured he was DOA but I out him a cup filled with tank water. Within a few minutes he scooting around in high gear. Talk about being tough.
I haven't decided if he's going down the toilet or if he might be worth saving for a separate tank. He's about 1 1/2 - 2 inches in length. The thing is I haven't gotten any LR 8-10 months so this guy has been stealthy for quite a while.
