small urgent question... (1 Viewer)

[clayfrmtx]

ok.. so, as chronicled earlier - I had a mantis in my tank. Well... at lunch I noticed again that he was in a really big rock. I pulled it... and did a fresh water did. I noticed him scurry to another hole - so I know he is in this rock. I sat there and filled my sink with fresh water, and started to squirt water through holes and such - and he has not emerged that I noticed.

The question, is the rock is awsome - lots of vegitation and life. I know the sponges are toast - but, how long can it sit in fresh water. Or is the rock life lost, and just scrub it down.

I had to leave the rock in the sink to get back to work... after all that, there was no way I was putting it back in with out the confirmation of a dead mantis, or captured one.

Thanks

 

[steveb]

I'm pretty sure its toast. By FW dip I assume you mean in ro/di water? If it was plain tap water def. everything is toast due to chlorine/chloramine exposure.

If the Mantis has caused you problems I would nuke the rock in a heavy dose of bleach water for a day or two followed by a soak in dechlorinated water for a few days followed up with some air time. Or stick the rock in the freezer (could crack though). You already know the mantis can survive for whatever time the rock was in transit to you out of water so you have be more aggressive than that IMO.

 

[clayfrmtx]

Thanks Steve.. Its pretty much what I thought. Too bad, it was a great rock.

Yes, it was ro/di water. Luckily I had some on hand.

 

[steveb]

Yeah that sucks. The good and the bad of fresh live rock.

 

[Tangs]

If you are not sure heat up the rock. I once bought a rock and something squirted out of the rock and into the store clerk's face. As she took it out of the store tank. I brought the live rock home took it out of the bag and it did the same thing. Squirted something into my face. So I just layed the rock on my wood stove for 10 minutes. Nothing would survive that. Jim

 

[Kabuto]

Next time try some Peroxide mixed with some saltwater. I do a 25% peroxide coral dip on corals. Seen stars, worms, etc flee. Also gets rid of any hair algae!

 

[fishrme]

what is a mantis and what all kinds of trouble do they do ...do yall have a pic and info on them ..i'd like to know what one is

 

[clayfrmtx]

A mantis shrimp is a pest (to some) hitchhiker that comes in on Live rock usually.. they are intelligent hunters that will take out CUC, Shrimp and sometimes fish. There are two kinds, smashers and spearers...

http://youtu.be/mu6yrC6bjNo

They are actually quite fascinating, if you have them in a species tank.