How long will a mantis hide in freshwater?

[CloudReefer]

Hi all, I have just caught a mantis in some of my rocks. I watched it go into a hole in this rock so I pulled it out and threw it into a bin of freshly made RO water. I'm 95% sure he's in there. I didn't see him leave the rock when I pulled it out of the tank and I was only away from the rock for a minute or two after I saw him swim in.

How long until this guy leaves the rocks so I can be sure I got him? I can leave it in there indefinitely, but I would like to either catch it or at least find the corpse so I can be sure it's gone. Don't want him dying in the rock if I can avoid it.

I don't have any plain soda to pour into the rock, just La Croix. Is there another way to get him to leave?

 

[Timfish]

It likely will die in it's hiding hole instead of coming out.

 

[CloudReefer]

It likely will die in it's hiding hole instead of coming out.

I kinda thought this might be the case. Seems to be mixed results with whether they'll come out or not.

Thanks!

 

[Paul B]

They die very fast in fresh water. I killed some in a few seconds by accident.

 

[CloudReefer]

They die very fast in fresh water. I killed some in a few seconds by accident.

Well I was hoping to catch it and maybe set up a separate display but guess that's not gonna happen now unless it managed to escape the rock.

 

[CloudReefer]

It's interesting that they die so fast in fresh water. Are they notably intolerant of fresh water? One of my peppermints was in the rock too and it scurried out right away. I put it back in the display and it's doing fine.

 

[CloudReefer]

Also, if it died in the rock, will the exoskeleton decompose in any meaningful way? Just wondering if that hole is now forever blocked. I'm not sure I have any detritovores that'll fit in there.

 

[Snoopy 67]

I sprayed Peroxide on a rock to kill algae & a Mantis came out like a rocket.

 

[CloudReefer]

I sprayed Peroxide on a rock to kill algae & a Mantis came out like a rocket.

Hah nice! Did you know you had one?

 

[Snoopy 67]

I knew there was 1, This one came out after capturing the 1st.
There is still another creating noise.
Lucky Me!

 

[CloudReefer]

I knew there was 1, This one came out after capturing the 1st.
There is still another creating noise.
Lucky Me!

Three mantis? Dang! Fresh live rock? Where'd you get it from?

 

[Snoopy 67]

Tampa Bay Saltwater.

 

[Hadla]

Looking for a home for them?

 

[Snoopy 67]

1st one now resides in a lab @ a school.
2nd died & 3rd has yet to be seen.

 

[Stomatopods17]

Probably dead already.

They don't tolerate freshwater very well. If you intended to keep it alive best method is isolating the suspected rock and just playing the waiting game in a separate saltwater container, either trapping it or baiting it out. They learn to take frozen pretty fast and when they smell it will start to venture out more.

 

[Paul B]

The ones I find here in the Long Island Sound are about 6". I kept one for 2 years once. Fascinating creatures but I am glad they don't grow as big as people.

 

[Hadla]

What do they look like? I’m curious at what species they are!