Whooo! 3 less mantis in my tank today...
- Thread starter Splach
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Slatts
New member
I still haven't seen mine but I see his aftermath. Busted up barnacles. How'd you get those 3? All together or seperate operations? Your setup looks great. I saw the fish in the tank before the confession and said "hey, what the ..."
I'm ordering my 2nd half this week, just hope I can stay away from LFS till the weekend. Good luck.
I'm ordering my 2nd half this week, just hope I can stay away from LFS till the weekend. Good luck.
Splach
New member
No... Surely you must jest... I cropped them out of all the pictures before the confession.... I thought...
Anyway here is how I did it. Take a couple smaller rocks with barnicles and put them near the top of the tank where you can grab them quickly. Watch for the mantis to hit that rock and grab it out and keep track of which tunnel they were in. Squirt a dropper full (5 ml or so) of seltzer in the hole with the mantis. Turn the rock until the seltzer wont come right back out or out a different hole. 2 of mine came out immediately wrigling and jumping. The first though was determined to stay in the hole and just buckled himself up in the hole so that he wasn't in the seltzer water. Finally I had to retrieve him with a pair of tweezers. I only got his claw the first time but the second time I got the rest of him. If you don't know what tunnel they are in carefully insert plastic tubing in each tunnel. I found that all of mine would snap at the plastic. Anyway good luck. I still have another mantis or two in the tank but when they go for these barnicles they will be in for a surprize.
Anyway here is how I did it. Take a couple smaller rocks with barnicles and put them near the top of the tank where you can grab them quickly. Watch for the mantis to hit that rock and grab it out and keep track of which tunnel they were in. Squirt a dropper full (5 ml or so) of seltzer in the hole with the mantis. Turn the rock until the seltzer wont come right back out or out a different hole. 2 of mine came out immediately wrigling and jumping. The first though was determined to stay in the hole and just buckled himself up in the hole so that he wasn't in the seltzer water. Finally I had to retrieve him with a pair of tweezers. I only got his claw the first time but the second time I got the rest of him. If you don't know what tunnel they are in carefully insert plastic tubing in each tunnel. I found that all of mine would snap at the plastic. Anyway good luck. I still have another mantis or two in the tank but when they go for these barnicles they will be in for a surprize.
You were 3 for 3, I was 0 for 3 using the inverted bottle method. I have the perfect rock for the "Splach Maneuver" as it will henceforth be known.
I finally saw two of them. They are about 2 inches long and one jumps from hole to hole ... he is kind of cute actually. I want to capture them alive for a fellow who wants them. Does the seltzer water harm them permanently if they emerge right into normal salt water?
I wonder if regular fresh water would work too or if the bubbles add to the freak-out factor.
I finally saw two of them. They are about 2 inches long and one jumps from hole to hole ... he is kind of cute actually. I want to capture them alive for a fellow who wants them. Does the seltzer water harm them permanently if they emerge right into normal salt water?
I wonder if regular fresh water would work too or if the bubbles add to the freak-out factor.
Splach
New member
I found that both cold and hot water did not work (very well) but the seltzer water made them jump like, well jumping beans. I had a little tub of salt water next to the rock and dunked them in it when they came out. No adverse affects that I could tell. Just be sure to be careful when you put the seltzer on the rock. ONLY put in just as much as you have to and make sure it isn't running out on any of your cup corals or other things that you want to keep, with the way that the mantis were jumping I am sure that other things wouldn't like it either.
Bax
Premium Member
I got two small ones last night just over an inch hiding in the same cubby hole. Saw one moving around in there. I pulled the rock and squirted a hypo saline solution in there. Took a few times they would not budge for anything. The hypo saline finaly nuked em and I flushed out with SW.
Still hear a big one clicking away somewhere in there.
But I'll get him. I'll get him alright.
Still hear a big one clicking away somewhere in there.
But I'll get him. I'll get him alright.
Bax
Premium Member
I took a measuring cup I use for the tank and placed about 2" of SW from my change out makeup water. I then stired in about four heaping tablespoon of instant ocean. Prior to that, I had pulled the rock in question and placed it in a bucket with about an inch of tank water in it. I then used a turkey baster to flush the solution into the cubby the little darlings were hold up in. That made them pop and swear at me but hey would not come out. So.. I when back to the bag of instant ocean and added a couple more heaping table spoon if IO. Two or three flushes with this little cocktail left them floating out of their hiding place never to pop at me again.
Not the method to use if you're looking to keep a mantis you remove form your rock, but effective.
I chased several other critters who I like off the rock as well so I had a quart sized measuring cup filled with tank water available to place these guys in as the droped into the bucket and also to dip corals ajacent to the target hole in ever so often. All non targeted critters and corals are doing well as of the morning. Can't say as much for the two mantis
Not the method to use if you're looking to keep a mantis you remove form your rock, but effective.
I chased several other critters who I like off the rock as well so I had a quart sized measuring cup filled with tank water available to place these guys in as the droped into the bucket and also to dip corals ajacent to the target hole in ever so often. All non targeted critters and corals are doing well as of the morning. Can't say as much for the two mantis
Thanks Bax. I'm really indifferent to the state of the mantis once I catch him. But I'm thinking that when my second shipment shows up tonight, I may pull out my two, large base rocks as well and see if I can flush them out, because otherwise I'm not sure I'll be able to catch them. The DIY mantis trip baited with a piece of shrimp has been unsuccessful the last two nights.
I think the chemistry guys would refer to that as a hyper-saline solution (greater than usual salt concentration) FWIW.
Bax
Premium Member
When I recieved my TBS, I laid it out on a tarp for about 30 minutes. I heard some poping noises and in true nubie from thought it was barnicles or the bivales complaining about the lack of water.
Oh no, was I wrong. So leave it out, be patient.
Mabey having a spray bottle of tank water handy to wet down corals and sponges would be a good way to go. I am certain that, had I known what the poping sound was, and waited long enough, I would have found every last mantis before it got in the tank.
But, if you think you want one, use the Splach method with seltzer after you find their hiding spot. The hyper-saline method isn't not going to be kind. Either one seems to coax them out, but you have to find them first. When I pulled the targeted rock out the other night they stared poping righjt away just like when I got the rock so be patient.
Oh no, was I wrong. So leave it out, be patient.
Mabey having a spray bottle of tank water handy to wet down corals and sponges would be a good way to go. I am certain that, had I known what the poping sound was, and waited long enough, I would have found every last mantis before it got in the tank.
But, if you think you want one, use the Splach method with seltzer after you find their hiding spot. The hyper-saline method isn't not going to be kind. Either one seems to coax them out, but you have to find them first. When I pulled the targeted rock out the other night they stared poping righjt away just like when I got the rock so be patient.
