Can you starve a mantis to death?

[plancton]

Hi, Well since it seems nothing is working on capturing that mantis shrimp, then I´m thinking on letting it starve to death. I have 2 tangs that are to big to get attacked, and my clownfish always seem to be safe on their bubble tip anemone.

So if I take all the snails and hermits out, is the mantis going to starve?. Or they can just eat pods, I would think pods are to small to be eaten by mantis.

Is it going to starve?

[Katmanblue]

I think if you try to starve it to death intentionally, there wont be a fish too big for it to attack....

Did you try the plastic water bottle method? How about the club soda method?

[ScarletReef]

I've seen videos of mantis shrimp taking down quite large prey in the ocean. I would really try to trap it, but best of luck either way.

[luther1200]

I also think it will eventually attack your fish. Animals do drastic things for food when they are starving, just like any of us would.

[jenglish]

Originally posted by luther1200
I also think it will eventually attack your fish. Animals do drastic things for food when they are starving, just like any of us would.

+1

You can starve a mantis out... but not with food in the tank. I think at the very least it would get your clown. I would think it would take a loooong time to starve one to death.

[plancton]

I see, well maybe the clownfish will have to take one for the team. I don´t see how a 2" mantis could take out a 6.5" sailfin tang.

The other thing is that if I start starving it to death then it will come out more often and reveal its hidding place. It will not eat pods right?

[Katmanblue]

In case you never tried it---if you can pinpoint which rock it is hiding in and you can remove the rock w/out tearing the whole tank down--take that rock and submerge it completely in club soda. This has worked for me 2x. Dont hold the rock with your hands because the shrimp will move fast--possibly up your arm

[plancton]

I got like 5 huge rocks in the same place, I need to know its exact hideaway. By the way, can club soda damage a bubble tip anemone?, will corals get damaged?

If I add salt to the club soda will I get less damage?,will the mantis still come out?.

How can I make club soda water?, I have a container which is about 10 gal but I would have to spend lots of $$$ on club soda, so which ingredient will give me the same effect, how much should I use and where to buy it?

[redfishsc]

Originally posted by plancton
I see, well maybe the clownfish will have to take one for the team. I don´t see how a 2" mantis could take out a 6.5" sailfin tang.

The other thing is that if I start starving it to death then it will come out more often and reveal its hidding place. It will not eat pods right?

Well, keep in mind that on a daily basis someone on earth that weighs between 50 and 150 kilograms dies from an allergic reaction to a bee sting, and a bee only weighs a few grams.


Not to mention how a virus, however many nanometers it is, can reproduce and kill a whale.


Either way, a mantis has some hideously powerful weaponry, of the sort that makes me glad that there are no mantis shrimp in Al-Qaeda.


Have you ever seen Starship Troopers? Mantis shrimp on steroids, basically.

[100%hydrophylic]

lol. starship troopers. i loved that movie when i was little. i would think starving the mantis is a bad idea as well.

[luther1200]

FWIW, I wouldn't be the least bit suprised if the Mantis killed your Tang. And a 2" Mantis is a pretty good size. I saw on TV once they put something in a glass jar and put it in an aquarium with a Mantis and the Mantis shattered the jar to get the food. So if they can do that they can probably take out a good size fish no problem.