Mantis Shrimp in Cycling Tank

[joelsaxton]

I am new to the hobby and I placed about 50lbs of live rock in my 40g tank. I was looking at the tank today and I noticed something that looked like a centipede. I realized it was a mantis shrimp. Should I have washed the rocks in soda water first? Well, too late. I just wanted to know if there is anything I can do to get him out of there. There are no other animals except 1 hermit and 2 snails in the refugium.

Thanks,

Joel

 

[DensityMan]

Lots of people do suggest fresh-water dipping or soda-water treatments for live rock to remove mantis shrimp.

I have no scientific evidence what-so-ever to back up this next statement (just common sense and a healthy dose of scepticism regarding doing weird things to rock I purchased as 'live') so take it with a grain of salt: If these treatments irritate the mantis, who is an incredibly tolerant and durable creature, enough to have it jump ship, what will remain on your rock to leave it worth to be called 'live?'

Buy a mantis trap or do a search here on making your own from a bottle or glass.

Good luck

 

[joelsaxton]

I also found a grey-pinkish hairy looking crab hiding in the same rock. If it came out I could get a pic of it. I have read that I should get rid of this guy, too. I think I will be getting a trap.

 

[ARDEN]

If you can catch it [the Mantis] alive I might be intrested. I live in Van Nuys and don't mind a drive to the West side. I would pay real money or trade you a colt frag if you are interested and ready for it.

BTW even if it is small, don't underestimate there power they can still break the skin.

 

[ARDEN]

Oh yeah, I agree with DensityMan I don't like the idea of dipping my live rock either. Curing live rock has enough dead stuff on it allready I can't imagine dipping it in soda would help matters. See if you can find his lair and perhaps you can isolate his rock with the trap. That will increse the chances he will find the trap.

 

[joelsaxton]

arden-- I am going to go get a trap tomorrow and I will hopefully have the crab and mantis caught sometime in the next week. I can hold them in a separate tank. send me your email and I will let you know if/when I get the mantis out of there. I may have 2 of them. I notice sometimes sand getting "spit out" of the rock, and I think it might be the mantis drilling holes.

 

[shan820]

A tip if the trap doesnt work--
I finally caught my MS last night after a month of waiting for him to take bait in a trap. He wouldnt go for it. The way I caught him was so easy I cant believe it took me so long to think of it. This only works if you find the hole he is hiding in. We took a long piece of plastic tubing (used for water changes- use a diameter just larger than your shrimp), baited one end, and stuck it over his hole. when he popps his beady eyes out to investigate the bait, suck the other end of the hose and he is siphoned right into an external bucket. Worked like a charm, I'm so excited!