-
Folks, if you've recently upgraded or renewed your annual club membership but it's still not active, please reach out to the BOD or a moderator. The PayPal system has a slight bug which it doesn't allow it to activate the account on it's own.
Mantis found!
- Thread starter Romanhawk
- Start date
Cool deal. I had one for a couple years and it never bothered fish or inverts. I knew where it had a ‘lair’ in the rocks and every few days would put a small cube of fish on a skewer. He eventually would come to the lair entrance and wait dor me at feeding time.
If its not killing anything and acting as part of the cuc, don’t see harm in keeping him about. Of course rubber gloves or a grabber would have to be the norm every time you worked on rockscape.
Always found this cool and informative...
theoatmeal.com
If its not killing anything and acting as part of the cuc, don’t see harm in keeping him about. Of course rubber gloves or a grabber would have to be the norm every time you worked on rockscape.
Always found this cool and informative...
Why the mantis shrimp is my new favorite animal - The Oatmeal
A comic about a glorious undersea creature.
theoatmeal.com
Where did you get your live rock from? You might want to see if anyone wants the mantis or even some LFS will take them if you don't want it.
More recommended to use an acrylic tank for those, people say they can shatter glass, and better safe then sorry. Unless its the spearing type of mantis. Those you need sand for them to burrow themselves.
I kinda wanted one to sit in my sump but its not worth the risk with a glass sump sadly. ☹
Can you post more pics, its hard to see what kind you have.
I kinda wanted one to sit in my sump but its not worth the risk with a glass sump sadly. ☹
Can you post more pics, its hard to see what kind you have.
Last edited:
yeah man! Will do! Doubt I’ll go the acrylic avenue in this case. He’s a couple inches long right now - hopefully the standard glass tank will hold. I think it will.
I’m pretty excited about him. I’ve done the research on mantis shrimp - planning on building him a good home.
I’ll send more pics tomorrow.
I’m pretty excited about him. I’ve done the research on mantis shrimp - planning on building him a good home.
I’ll send more pics tomorrow.
Think that glass thing is a myth. I had mine in a 40g, he was about 5-6" long and a clubber. He hit the side of the tank a number of times when I got too close or during feeding but it was never a worry.
Knowing they burrow, I did put a piece of that plasticy art board material on the bottom of the tank (I think I then put a piece of plexi or starboard over that) and put my rockwork and sand on top of it. I'd often hear him punching away at it. Without the plastics there it may have been a concern because he hit those areas quite often. Side glass was never a prob. Saying that, some of these thin small tanks (2.5g, 5g) might be more of a concern, but I dont see a problem in a 10 or 20g tank with a bottom liner.
If you go to you tube and look at some of these vids where they catch these 2' long mantisis (by hand) for dinner and market sales, they're all just dropped into a glass tank for display.
They're fascinatining, and in a small tank with open rockwork, they'll come out and watch you, eventually learning feeding cues. Best of luck with him. I'm guessing he's a smasher and I'd lean towards Gonodactylus Chiragra if you're looking to start looking for info.
Knowing they burrow, I did put a piece of that plasticy art board material on the bottom of the tank (I think I then put a piece of plexi or starboard over that) and put my rockwork and sand on top of it. I'd often hear him punching away at it. Without the plastics there it may have been a concern because he hit those areas quite often. Side glass was never a prob. Saying that, some of these thin small tanks (2.5g, 5g) might be more of a concern, but I dont see a problem in a 10 or 20g tank with a bottom liner.
If you go to you tube and look at some of these vids where they catch these 2' long mantisis (by hand) for dinner and market sales, they're all just dropped into a glass tank for display.
They're fascinatining, and in a small tank with open rockwork, they'll come out and watch you, eventually learning feeding cues. Best of luck with him. I'm guessing he's a smasher and I'd lean towards Gonodactylus Chiragra if you're looking to start looking for info.
Clam strips, scallops, lobster, salmon... Whatever we were having for dinner
My enemies.
And sometimes I'd go to a food store and buy 1-2 shrimp, a scallop, or a pice of any saltwater fish (most whitefish, fluke, flounder). I chop this up and use as food and he'll grab chunks as they float by.
If you're patient and start feeding him from a skewer with a small (1/4" cube) of fish on it, he'll eventually start coming out and getting anxious for the food stick.
I'm sure you've seen some of the vids on youtube. Be mnimal with hands in tank, and if you need to go in there, wear those big red and blue Coralife gloves. A slang name for them is 'Thumbsplitter' for a reason.
Here’s the update on the found-mantis. Got him set up in a 15g. He’s happy to have a tank of his own and eats all kinds of frozen foods. Pretty darn cool little creature.
He’s red - so he doesn’t have all those glorious peacock colors - but he’s pretty cool nonetheless.
He’s red - so he doesn’t have all those glorious peacock colors - but he’s pretty cool nonetheless.
Attachments
Those are an italian delicacy.