Pistol shrimp removal

[C4DC]

I got 4 pistols and a mantis as hitch hikers when setting up the tank. After it cycled, I took all the rock out and got all of them out (or so I thought). There is one pistol left and he is causing trouble. Any easy trapping methods out there to get him out? I don't want to tear into the tank to remove him at this point. I don't know if a standard fish trap would work. TIA

 

[OneReef]

You could always take a plastic coke bottle and cut off the top 1/4, invert it and stick the top back in the body. Throw a piece of shrimp in there and put the bottle in the tank at night. Aim the opening right by where he may reside. He might go in at night to eat and not be able to get out. Just something to try.

 

[snorvich]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15260544#post15260544 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by OneReef
You could always take a plastic coke bottle and cut off the top 1/4, invert it and stick the top back in the body. Throw a piece of shrimp in there and put the bottle in the tank at night. Aim the opening right by where he may reside. He might go in at night to eat and not be able to get out. Just something to try.

This works well.

 

[C4DC]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15260544#post15260544 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by OneReef
You could always take a plastic coke bottle and cut off the top 1/4, invert it and stick the top back in the body. Throw a piece of shrimp in there and put the bottle in the tank at night. Aim the opening right by where he may reside. He might go in at night to eat and not be able to get out. Just something to try.

This is something like I had in mind. Is there a preferred size bottle? I think a 2 liter would be too big, and wouldn't know if he would shoot out of the nozzle when I would go to get him out. He is about 2" long and pretty skinny.
It is neat to watch him, he has dug out so much that I can look at him from the bottom of the tank with a flashlight shining up.

 

[OneReef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15260850#post15260850 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by C4DC
This is something like I had in mind. Is there a preferred size bottle? I think a 2 liter would be too big, and wouldn't know if he would shoot out of the nozzle when I would go to get him out. He is about 2" long and pretty skinny.
It is neat to watch him, he has dug out so much that I can look at him from the bottom of the tank with a flashlight shining up.

I don't think he would be able to shoot out when you go to lift it out. I would use a bottle like one of those 16 or 20 oz. ones.

 

[smoothdog]

Just curious, what kind of trouble is the shrimp causing that you need to remove it. I have one and it has been nothing but beneficial in keeping the sand bed spotless and I have had no issues of predation of any kind with inverts or fish.

 

[DGee]

Usually the bottle trick works well... If all else fails buy a Flame hawk... Cool fish and he'll take care of the shrimp eventually.

 

[C4DC]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15261382#post15261382 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by smoothdog
Just curious, what kind of trouble is the shrimp causing that you need to remove it. I have one and it has been nothing but beneficial in keeping the sand bed spotless and I have had no issues of predation of any kind with inverts or fish.

He is keeping quite a bit of area for himself to spew sand. It is keeping me from putting LPS and Zoas anywhere near his 3 burrow entrances which is too much area for my 65. He also has lots of blue hermit and snail shells in the burrow (empty). I had a really nice Long-Nose Hawk for a while and they lived in harmony for months until the Hawk decided he wanted out of the tank and carpet surfed right through the hood.
He does keep the sand bed clean in his immediate area, but the snails and hermits do 90% of the work in that area.

 

[smoothdog]

Yeah, I know what you mean with putting stuff in front of the burrows. Mine's in my 29g and kept stealing the zoas I had on the sand bed until a sheet of coraline broke free of the side of my tank. I snapped it into about 10 little pieces and scattered them in front of the holes and they were gone in the morning. Now when you look down in the burrows it looks like a little mine shaft!:lmao: That was about a month ago and he hasn't stole one since.

 

[romsoccer12]

you should buy another mantis =)

 

[C4DC]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15263078#post15263078 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by romsoccer12
you should buy another mantis =)

Well the rock came with 2lg and 2 baby pistols and a mantis and the mantis left them alone for a couple months until I got him out.

 

[C4DC]

The offenders that have been removed up to this point:

 

[TheORKINMan]

Just out of curiosity what were the pistol shrimp doing that caused problems?

 

[GrimReefer82]

I'll take the mantis off your hands =)