Randy's Tank and Learn Thread

[twentyleagues]

Mantis Shrimp Hitchhiker

I just fed some small size TDO chromaboost to the tank, and saw this guy come out. Very cool, but I realize I may need to trap him and send him to a sump. Any advice on him (and possibly his friends)?

Need to move to sump?

Ways to trap?

TBS says they can eat live crabs and whittle down a clean up crew.

@LiverockRocks

Oh man thats so cool! I need to order some tbs rocks. Your clean up crew is in danger for sure. Bottle trap?

 

[areefer01]

This glue:

Plus this epoxy:

Is the god-tier combo.

That exact epoxy brand is best because it’s supple and doesn’t crumble when inserted into the tank.

You’ll want to knead it until the gray and pink parts are homogeneous.

Gently press and twist the frag to the rock to lock it in place.

Edit: You do the sandwich method outside the tank, then press the frag to the rock inside the tank.

I'm sure you know this so I apologize for stating the obvious but wearing nitrile gloves will help you in the long run. Mixing the two makes a mess. I believe you may have thrown this together though pretty quick to help so do not take it the wrong way.

I should say in my experience anyway.

 

[Miami Reef]

I'm sure you know this so I apologize for stating the obvious but wearing nitrile gloves will help you in the long run. Mixing the two makes a mess. I believe you may have thrown this together though pretty quick to help so do not take it the wrong way.

I should say in my experience anyway.

Yes. I agree. I did mention that in the post below. lol

I’m not afraid to get my hands a little dirty anyway. I cleaned my skimmer immediately after…bare handed. :grinning-face-with-sweat:

 

[LiverockRocks Verified Sponsor]

Mantis Shrimp Hitchhiker

I just fed some small size TDO chromaboost to the tank, and saw this guy come out. Very cool, but I realize I may need to trap him and send him to a sump. Any advice on him (and possibly his friends)?

Need to move to sump?

Ways to trap?

TBS says they can eat live crabs and whittle down a clean up crew.

@LiverockRocks

How to catch a gorilla and more. I have a few mantises in my personal tanks and have been wanting to try the Glass Glass Trap but modified. The Glass Glass trap does not work for mantis, as they can easily swim out the top of the glass. But the modified plan is to place plastic wrap over the top of the glass, secure it with a rubber band and slice a 1"cut in the plastic wrap. The mantis will be able to find its way in but not swim out.
Let me know if it works, lol!

 

[areefer01]

Yes. I agree. I did mention that in the post below. lol

Oh, I missed that. I'm such a dork.

I’m not afraid to get my hands a little dirty anyway. I cleaned my skimmer immediately after…bare handed. :grinning-face-with-sweat:

Totally understandable :)

 

[X-37B]

Mantis Shrimp Hitchhiker

I just fed some small size TDO chromaboost to the tank, and saw this guy come out. Very cool, but I realize I may need to trap him and send him to a sump. Any advice on him (and possibly his friends)?

Need to move to sump?

Ways to trap?

TBS says they can eat live crabs and whittle down a clean up crew.

@LiverockRocks

I have one in my 150 and 1 in my 50. Have tried bottle and the Mantis trap but all I catch are snails.
Both Mantis have killed all emerald crabs, 10+, in the 150. Killed peppermint shrimp also. Now killing snails.
In the 150 it has tagged a few fish.
My chalk bass had a bulged eye for a few weeks, normal now.
I am going to try again tonight.
The trap is nice but both Mantis are wary of it, lol.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

How to catch a gorilla and more. I have a few mantises in my personal tanks and have been wanting to try the Glass Glass Trap but modified. The Glass Glass trap does not work for mantis, as they can easily swim out the top of the glass. But the modified plan is to place plastic wrap over the top of the glass, secure it with a rubber band and slice a 1"cut in the plastic wrap. The mantis will be able to find its way in but not swim out.
Let me know if it works, lol!

Oh, nice. Sounds easy to try.

Do you think I should lay it on its side so the opening is near a tunnel opening?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Ok, first round trap try is set.

What to use as bait? Here’s the ticket. Some frozen Alaskan cod on the bottom of the freezer. Best Buy date? 2018.

 

[LiverockRocks Verified Sponsor]

Steller day to harvest for you, Randy!

At this moment, J is traversing the original TBS farm selecting premium rock for your build and rock for other orders.

Each rock is inspected before collecting. Over developed rock stays on the farm; meaning large tunicate colonies, large sponges, or large corals. Rock moves from the ocean bottom into saltwater filled barrels for transportation back to the warehouse, where it is inspected again and placed in the holding system.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Steller day to harvest for you, Randy!

At this moment, J is traversing the original TBS farm selecting premium rock for your build and rock for other orders.

Each rock is inspected before collecting. Over developed rock stays on the farm; meaning large tunicate colonies, large sponges, or large corals. Rock moves from the ocean bottom into saltwater filled barrels for transportation back to the warehouse, where it is inspected again and placed in the holding system.

Glad it’s nice there for diving!

It’s 55 and raining here. lol

 

[LiverockRocks Verified Sponsor]

Ok, first round trap try is set.

What to use as bait? Here’s the ticket. Some frozen Alaskan cod on the bottom of the freezer. Best Buy date? 2018.

This is very exciting. Good luck!

 

[dwest]

I’ve only removed one mantis in my time. I removed the rock where he lived and poured a bit of Diet Coke in its hole. He scurried out in a split second. I put him back in salt water (but not in my tank) and he was perfectly fine.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

What Creature is This???

Just noticed in the last 2 days, many, many little white things on the glass. An algae? A copepod, something else?

Each is a mm or less, but all nearly the same size. No big ones vs little ones. They do not seem to move, but pushing them with a stick and they come off the glass.

Each is a central white area with some wispy lines from it. Legs?

Hard to photograph and hard for my old eyes to make out. Looking for a magnifying glass, but don’t think I have one.

They are well spread out and uniform, as if they don’t want to be right next to one another.

 

[dwest]

Hydroids?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Bingo. Yes, they look like these:

https://reefstable.com/solutions/pests/hydroids
Do I need to do anything?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

They look far smaller than those that folks have pest problems with. If I had a glass scraper I would probably not even have seen them as they are not visible on rocks and such.

 

[rtparty]

I am pretty sure we called them hydroid jelly’s back in the day. Is that still the hip lingo or were we totally wrong in calling them jelly’s?

I remember seeing them way more back in the live rock days of old. We didn’t do anything for them. They go away pretty quick

 

[twentyleagues]

Yes Hydroids, typically go away on their own. Maybe @LiverockRocks has more info?

 

[LiverockRocks Verified Sponsor]

Yes Hydroids, typically go away on their own. Maybe @LiverockRocks has more info?

They go away on their own. I'd scrape them off the glass and let them get filtered out.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

They go away on their own. I'd scrape them off the glass and let them get filtered out.

Sounds good. Thanks! :)