Need help catching mantis'!!

[walkietalkie25]

Ok, I give up!! I am a new reef hobbyist that got live rock with Mantis shrimp in it back in July. I successfully removed 3 before I started stocking the tank with corals and fish.
Now I have discovered THREE MORE!! One on each of my 3 rock piles. (Who knows, there could be tons more!!!)
I can no longer remove rock and freshwater dip or squirt into holes (how I got one!) because of corals and anemones attatched to the rocks. Besides, the shrimp don't seem to have a "particular" hole anyway.
I tried the Xterminator trap, it's a joke, I only caught snails with it. I tried a homemade trap that got one out, (only after I teased it with frozen shrimp for hours! HA) but I am no longer having any success catching them that way, they're too smart! Tonight I injected BOILING freshwater into a hole where one was, but he obviously escaped somewhere else in the rock.
I am stumped. These are small, like 1/2" long and thin, but I know they're gonna grow up one day and be terrors!! I also just bought 3 cleaner shrimp last week and only have 1 left!
Anyone got any other ideas????
They would be GREATLY APPRECIATED!!!
And if anyone WANTS ONE FOR A PET, let me know as well, so I can keep it for you if I EVER catch one!!
Thanks all!:eek1:

 

[DocDave]

i have the same problems. Wish I knew how to get um out too.


Doc Dave

 

[COreefer]

Take out the rock he is in and pour seltzer water into it...He will run out like its in fire.

 

[hackster1]

Im with COreefer, you will need to remove the rock and do the freshwater / seltzer water thing ... over a bucket .... then return the rock after removal .... oh and ship the little dudes to me

Guys i will take them all if you want to get rid of 'em let me know .. i pay shiping

Leo

 

[walkietalkie25]

Thanks for the responses, but I really need some solution that doesn't involve removing rock now that I have corals and anemones attatched securely to the rocks, I can't just remove rock with them on it and expose them to air and freshwater, or can I?? (After all I am new to this hobby, but I assumed that would injure the corals(?))
Any other suggestions?
Thanks again for the reponses!

 

[RedStar265]

does he come out alot? The way I got mine was to feed him mysis for about 2 weeks, then put some mysis in my net right next to his burrow. Sure enough, he comes running out and into the net and then I just pulled him out....

 

[Myladyfish]

well i just removed mine out when he happened to be in the shell of my hermit crab, which was probably eaten by him... luckily he went inside the shell instead of out when he noticed my reaching hand... so I put it into this small cup of freshwater, and he quickly stormed outta the shell and acting and moving like crazy... it's exciting to see one so obvious... wish I had a camera... i guess you can never catch it without destroying your coral and rocks designs.... these guys move real fast....