Roy (and or anyone with mantis removal experience),
I got my LR from Ken several months ago and eventually used it along with a tank of existing rock to enlarge our hummelincki tank. While adding the new rock, a surprise hitchhiker literally jumped out of one of the pieces. Havanis Fidel is living comfortably in one of my small tanks.
I got to thinking about mantis taking permenant mates and wondered if there might be another. At night I have heard whapping noises but could not be sure from which tank the sound was coming since it would stop when I entered the room (we have two known mantis now). This weekend we were watching Maya (small hummelincki) seaching the LR for food and the whapping tank and place were identified. The mantis is under a largeish rock supporting half the current structure in Maya's glass tank.
My question is, can anyone point me to successful discussion to learn a way to capture the mantis or give me some direct advice on capture. Since her first discovery of the mantis, Maya has returned to the rock several times and the mantis reacts everytime. Maya seems unconcerned as she does not change color and continues her search as if she does not notice. We think she is big enough to win if there is an encounter but would rather avoid it.
If I am successful in removing the hitchhiker, what is most likely to happen if I put it in with Fidel? They were together in a 10 gallon for over a month and I suspect that they are mates but have no way to be sure (I have not seen this one at all).
I got my LR from Ken several months ago and eventually used it along with a tank of existing rock to enlarge our hummelincki tank. While adding the new rock, a surprise hitchhiker literally jumped out of one of the pieces. Havanis Fidel is living comfortably in one of my small tanks.
I got to thinking about mantis taking permenant mates and wondered if there might be another. At night I have heard whapping noises but could not be sure from which tank the sound was coming since it would stop when I entered the room (we have two known mantis now). This weekend we were watching Maya (small hummelincki) seaching the LR for food and the whapping tank and place were identified. The mantis is under a largeish rock supporting half the current structure in Maya's glass tank.
My question is, can anyone point me to successful discussion to learn a way to capture the mantis or give me some direct advice on capture. Since her first discovery of the mantis, Maya has returned to the rock several times and the mantis reacts everytime. Maya seems unconcerned as she does not change color and continues her search as if she does not notice. We think she is big enough to win if there is an encounter but would rather avoid it.
If I am successful in removing the hitchhiker, what is most likely to happen if I put it in with Fidel? They were together in a 10 gallon for over a month and I suspect that they are mates but have no way to be sure (I have not seen this one at all).