2 free little Mantis Shrimp

fullmonti

now is the time
I was at my LFS last fri & they had just gotten a shipment of LR in. One of the guys at the store gave me two small mantis hitchhikers. They are only about an inch long & reddish colored. I had a 3gal pico vase & put some sand from my main tank & a good size pc of LR from my sump (very holey) in the pico with a powerhead for them. They have never come out of hiding! Saw one grab a bloodworm once, other wise looks like a empty tank.

All the videos of these guys I've seen look very interesting, but these are a big let down so far. Do some kinds hide most the time, or will they become more active later?
 
All the videos of these guys I've seen look very interesting, but these are a big let down so far. Do some kinds hide most the time, or will they become more active later?

Yes, once they get use to the tank they will become more active. However many people say a larger tank will make them feel more comfortable and be more active. I have an N. Wennerae in a 5G tank, and he just sits in his spot all day long. I don't see him move much.
 
Before his (N. Wennerae, about 6 months old) first home broke he used to run around the LR alittle. I think the emergency change from holding tank to another 55 has him unsettled. He seems to setting in and has accepted food from me. Charlene
 
Mantis shrimp personalities seem to depend both on species and on individuals. We've got a G. Tern who just doesn't come out very often - he's active, since we hear him every few days slaughtering another snail, but we don't see him but once every few weeks. He's in a 20 H with two firefish, which, I don't know, might be scaring him?
 
I have some good news & some bad news. One of the two little guys died, but the other one is coming out & looking into every thing. It looks like he has grown some too. He recognizes the feeding tube & comes right out after it. The wife even got to see him today.
 
Back
Top