Help to locate and Remove

[fe342185]

Hi All, I wanted to know how to get a mantis out as quckly as possible without doing to much harm to the rocks and the living creatures in it. I thought i found the only mantis in my first shipment of tampabaysaltwater live rock. It turns out that there are more than one. The first one i have isolated in a ten gallon. He is still in the rock and refuses to come out. After i setup the aquascape i started to hear the clicking again from inside the display tank. The rocks has a lot of corals sponges and inverts on it and i was wondering if there is a way to get this mantis out without harming or doing to much damage. There are only about 6 rocks that he could be in and i can take them out one at a time with no problem. Peopl have suggested dipping the rock in freshwater or VERY salty water but i need to know the after effect of this to the rock. Thank all

[SLKs reef]

If yopu catch them and decide to get rid of them I will take one. will pay shipping too.

[gonefishin]

I too got some mantis hithchikers in my TBS. If you know where in the rock he stays, you can take out the rock and forcifully inject some carbonated water into the hole it lives in and it should come flying out. I used sprite because that is what I had but have seen some use club soda. This was done outside of my tank in a bocket of water I was discarding from a water change so it did'nt contaminate the tank. Also it only took about 3 or 4 ml so in a 5 gallon bucket I would expect it to be quickly diluted.

Are you sure the clicking is a mantis? The people at TBS say their are also a lot of pistol shrimp hitchhikers in their rock. I too hear the popping sound quite often during the day. Have been watching the mantis and it wasn't coming from him (at least the one I can see). Anyrate, another person was looking in my tank and asked what is this cool lobster looking thing (which I have still never seen) I am hoping it is a pistol shrimp. Somewhere I read that pistols usually click once or twice with a brief break whereas mantis will usually be in clicks of three of four. I am not sure how reliable that is but I am hopeful it is true since mine usually only lciks once :). HTH

By the way I would be careful about the freshwater dips and hypersalinity since it might kill some of the corals and etc.. I would watch the tank like a hawk and maybe turn the rocks every couple of days until you can see him and then try the carbonated water method.

[fe342185]

If anyone is interested in the NY area (locak pickup only) they can have them. One is a light brown color and the other is a dark green or even black. I dont know much about these shripms but i know enough that i do not want any in my tank. All the barnacles have all been popped. Anyway I am in Staten Island NY. I put both of them in a little container and they dont seem to get along so i separated them. If you want them, take them ASAP otherwise its going to a LPS or the trigger tank. I really didnt want to do the trigger thing but they put me through a lot of headaches finding them and getting them out. Let me know. BTW the container on the picture is a chinese take out container.
http://us.f1.yahoofs.com/users/2b52de29/bc/Aquarium/__sr_/Mantis+Shrimp.jpg?bcKRWw_Az6kPZuQH

[crgeltn]

Sent you a PM! I would love to have them!

[crgeltn]

Thanks!!! I can't wait to get them!!! Paypal sent!!! :D