mantis shrimp

cb5000 · #1 01/02/2008, 10:44 AM

Does anyone know at what salinty will a mantis shrimp die?This thing is killing everything in my tank.I have tried everything to trap this thing with no success.So I have set up another tank and am taking everything out of the tank that has the mantis.When I have him isolated,then I will try to get him.

landlord · #2 01/02/2008, 10:59 AM

If you can trap him in a lair within a piece of liverock. Just remove the liverock and flush the lair with boiling water. He will cook in his own shell. It worked for me. Sometimes fresh water at normal temps will get them to run out of the lair but some mantis are peskier than others. Not sure at what salinity they die but I'd bet it's way up there. They are pretty tough!

FWIW --landlord

crimson0152 · #3 01/02/2008, 11:10 AM

If you are going to go to such lengths to catch him or isolate him, why not just take the isolated creature to your LFS and give him away or trade him? There are people who actually want these guys. To me, killing the animal is the last resort. You're already moving everything else to another tank, so if you have him isolated killing should not be necessary.

Pea-brain · #4 01/02/2008, 11:31 AM

http://www.stomatopod.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=71

A simple method of trapping mentioning several ways to catch it. If I were you i'd set up a small 5-10 gallon to keep it in. They are very interesting & very easy to care for. Just feed a piece of meaty seafood every other day, give it a rock or PVC tube to burrow in, some rubble, some sand and you can even keep them with corals provided the corals are well secured.

Dan

dc · #5 01/02/2008, 11:39 AM

They are awesome critters in the right tank. I've had two and loved them. Good luck catching him.

jade2122 · #6 01/02/2008, 12:04 PM

they are very cute fun pets, just get him a little 5 gallon and keep him in there. i wouldn't give mine up for anything...!

kar93 · #7 01/02/2008, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by crimson0152
If you are going to go to such lengths to catch him or isolate him, why not just take the isolated creature to your LFS and give him away or trade him? There are people who actually want these guys. To me, killing the animal is the last resort. You're already moving everything else to another tank, so if you have him isolated killing should not be necessary.

I agree, I hate killing something that hitchikes, its not like it asked to be there.

macronut · #8 01/02/2008, 09:53 PM

If you can get the rock out of the tank the mantis is in and place it in a bucket above the waterline this may work. Suspend the rock with a pvc platform. I have seen them crawl out of the rock and into the water. However, the rock needs to be just out of the water and the hole he/she is hiding in should face the bottom of the bucket. Good luck. They are smart rascals! I would take it to the LFS and see if they want it. If it's a peacock mantis you'll have better luck unloading it as they are colorful!

Pea-brain · #9 01/02/2008, 11:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by macronut
If it's a peacock mantis you'll have better luck unloading it as they are colorful!

I'd like to note that the chances of catching a peacock mantis as a hitch hiker are about a million to 0. They are mud borrowers and do not live in live rock. Even as juveniles it is extremely unlikely. It has never happened (or at least I've never heard of it, and I'd be a very likely person to hear of it if it were to happen). The only way I really see someone getting a peacock is if the live rock shipper literally tied the peacock to the rock. Just sayin

Dan