surprise mantis has moved in!

[Morgandy]

I caught the fleeting 'tail' of a green mantis today, and then realized he was just roaming every corner, nook and cranny at blindy rates all afternoon. I have added some new LR the past several weeks, maybe he was molting until now and suddenly hungry. It's going to take me time to get him out, but I'm terribly worried about the following:

Citron goby
2 dusky jawfish
fang blenny
bi-color blenny
firefish
flame hawk
brisstle star

How in danger are they in the meantime? What is the best food to keep the mantis happy till I get him the heck out of there? I'll put him in my fuge (I've always wanted one, just NOT in my display!!)

thx for any advice..

 

[masterqaz]

they all are in some decent amount of trouble since they are all pretty small. the best thing you could do now is feed it alot of large meaty foods, krill silver sides etc. and hope for the best, for now anyways, i know how trick those little buggers are to catch.

 

[Thurge]

With most of your fish being slow moviers and hoppers, you may have some real danger. I think you have two way sof going about this, keep the mantis fat and happy and keep the fish pretty safe (Mantis will go after the easest meal it can), or go all out to get the mantis into the fuge possibly puting he fish at more rish.
In the first instance I would get a good supply of cleanup crew members to keep the mantis fat, and then figure out where the mantis' lair is and move the whole thing to the fuge (if possible, if not flush it out).
The other is to gather up every member of the cleanup crew and put out a baited trap. If you leave the snails and hermits wandering the mantis will have easier food than figuring out how to get into the trap.

 

[Morgandy]

Ok, thx folks. I just dread this because it took 6 months of every trap and trick and creativity to get a monster crab out of my old 210. I'll work on what your suggestions are Thurge; I did put big krill in yesterday but couldn't tell if he or the larger hermits were getting it!

 

[Morgandy]

Well, I couldn't have gotten luckier! Yesterday he quickly darted into the best possible rock near the top, and I snatched it right out of there into the fuge. Then thankfully was able to catch my citron that happened to be in there to and get him right back into the display.

How long do their molting periods last, btw?

thx..

 

[Sullyman]

I hope I have your luck, I just spotted one tonight. I haven't heard any snapping for a month or so, so I was starting to think I was ok. The snapping was going on and off for a while, was hoping I had gotten a Pistol shrimp, but a green mantis is in da house. If he gets taken alive, I'll post some pics.

 

[Sullyman]

Well surprise, it wasn't a Mantis......

 

[Msby12]

whoa.... hey sullyman ever seen "ALIEN"??? well how big is he/she/it?

 

[Sullyman]

Not positive, well over a foot. I'm not sure I can keep it in the plastic, if it bores into rock?

 

[Morgandy]

whew, nasty...how'd you catch it? Had it been in there long?

 

[Sullyman]

It must have been in there for a long, the rock it was in was put in the tank 5 years ago. I spotted it last night a few times, it was staying in a large rock. Took the rock out today and rinsed it with fresh water, it came half way out and was dangling from the rock. I couldn't get it loose, that's were it got torn, so I broke the rock in half and it was out. That's what I love about this hobby, you just never know all that goes on in our tanks.

 

[Thurge]

nasty critter you have.
I have heard of specimines over 5' long being found in tanks.

 

[ShiftNation]

That looks like something that would crawl down your throat and pop out your chest . Did you ever see the 7 footer out of the oregon reef tank ?

 

[rwhhunt]

WHAT IS THAT??

 

[Sullyman]

Check out the one here
http://oregonreef.com/

 

[Thurge]

Eunicid worm

Eunicid worm

I couldn't exactly remember the site; thats the guy I was thinking of.

Eunicid worm

 

[JGoslee]

That thing is awesome!

 

[DaddyJax]

I am not sure if it was the same species as that worm but I was at a lfs when they got a LR shipment in and I decided to help and I saw this huge black worm and picked it up and next thing I knew I had it held up as high as my arm could reach and I was holding it in the middle and it was still touching the box on both ends!! I am just under 6' so I am thinking this thing was at least 12' in length. The owner almost threw up and a few costomers shreeked when I held it up. Thank god I wore gloves!! I wish I had a camera!!