Best Bait for Mantis?

[holliek2]

Hi! I’m still trying to catch the mantis hitch-hiker in my tank. Seems he is smarter than me! I have a stupid question- what does everyone use to weigh the trap down? I zip stripped an air stone in it for weight but I think that the mantis won’t go near the trap with it there. Without the weight it just blows around on the sandbed and tips over.

My other question is- what is the best bait to use? I tried brine shrimp but only catch my goby. I tried frozen shrimp- all it did was rot in the trap. I’ve tried silverside chunks- nothing.

 

[duberii]

I would try using some sand to weigh the trap down- it'll help the trap blend in so maybe the mantis will go in. As for bait, I would try either clam or scallops- the mantis at my LFS seems to love shellfish, and maybe yours will to.