How to Get Rid of a Mantis Shrimp

The mantis shrimp are predatory crustaceans regarded as pests in most home aquariums. Voracious eaters, mantis shrimp will eat any moving aquatic organism that is equal or smaller to it in size. Generally found residing in live rocks within saltwater aquariums, mantis shrimp are intelligent and hardy creatures that can survive harsh, inhospitable environments. Effectively get rid of the pesky mantis shrimp by using one or more tactful trapping techniques that works best for you.

Things You'll Need

  • Competing aquatic animals
  • Club soda
  • Boiling water
  • Gloves
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place aquatic animals like bird wrasse, Australian dottyback or an octopus in your aquarium. These aquatic animals are competing animals and will prey on the mantis shrimp. (See References 1, 2 and 3)

    • 2

      Remove the rock that houses the mantis shrimp from your aquarium. Place this rock in a separate aquarium that will house only the mantis shrimp.

    • 3

      Destroy the offender residing within the rock by taking the rock out of the aquarium and pouring boiling water into the hole. The boiling water will burn and destroy the mantis shrimp.

    • 4

      Take the rock inhabited by the mantis shrimp out of the aquarium and pour carbonated water like club soda over it. The fizz created by the carbon dioxide will cause the mantis shrimp to crawl out of the rock and die due to the lack of tank water.