Mantis Shrimp Suddenly Appears

vily99

AC Members
Jul 17, 2007
5
0
0
Kansas City, KS
We set up our 55g FOWLR tank about 1 year ago and never noticed a mantis shrimp or any of the problems that might be associated with having one. Recently we moved and in the process of moving we converted our smaller 29 gallon into a SW tank. The only thing new that we purchased to put in the tank was some live sand. Once the 29g tank was established we moved all of our live rock & the fish we had in the other tank into it. (2 False Percula Clowns & a Blue Damsel) About a week later, one of our clownfish died and before my husband could get it out it disappeared. When he went to look for it, he saw something scurry away. We didn't really think much of it until today when I went to feed the fish. There was something neat climbing up the glass so I stuck my head closer to look at it and then all of the sudden this shrimp jumps out and runs off under a rock. I thought my mind was playing tricks on me, but I looked over to where it ran & sure enough, something was there. When my husband got home I had him help me look for it some more. We found it again, and it's definitely a mantis shrimp. Could it have hidden itself that well for an entire year in our other tank without us noticing it? Is it possible that it came in the live sand? The other question is if anyone has found an easy way to successfully catch one? I know there are homemade & commercial traps, but I don't know if they work. Any thoughts would be appreciated! :)
 
hm

most of the traps work even the homemade ones. you just have to make sure hes in there before you take it out. try getting a trap and put squid or somethiing of the sort in it and youll catch him and them you can send him my way. my 8 gallon needs something in it:)
 
I'll take him when you capture him! I had one small one in my 3g but he was injured from the pet store and didnt make it, since they had 3 together in a real tiny container fighting each other.
 
my favorite diy trap, is to take a water bottle, take off the cap, cut off the curved part near the top, and switch it around so the opening funnels into the bottle. glue it and put some bait inside and it will go through the opening, but not be able to find the hole again. pull him out and he'll be a shrimp in a bottle.

this is it

 
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So ill call 3rds? on the guy. highest bidder!
 
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