Blinded Mantis...Warning, sad stuff

[Kirin1]

Be warned, this is very sad for mantis lovers. I'm having a hard time here and could use some advice.

A few weeks ago my N.Wennerae decided to 'explore' the intake to the AquaClear on his tank, got pulled in to the impeller chamber, and injured both of his eyes. Since they are the most forward part I guess they took the brunt of it. Both eyes are obviously damaged, their surfaces are broken.

I can tell he can't see. He's not active at all. He can't seem to find his way back into his regular burrow, but stays in the same spot in a hole between two rocks. He doesn't respond to any kind of stimulus short of being tapped on the back w/my tongs. He will eat if I wave some mysis in front of his antennae, or squirt some cyclopeze at him, but he won't hunt.

I read once about a mantis who lost an eye entirely in a fight with a mithrax crab (Tim the Supermantis vs the BDE Emerald maybe?). That mantis replaced the lost eye with a new antenna after a molt. Mine hasn't lost his eyes, they are still there, but damaged. Is it possible they will be replaced?

Is there anything I can do for him? Obviously keeping water quality up and continuing to hand feed will keep him alive, but will he ever be even part way ok again? Should I consider putting him down? I don't want to at all and I feel really terrible about this.

I would greatly appreciate any advice or experience anyone can share.

 

[yiliyang]

Wait first then...

Wait first then...

It is indeed a sad tale. You might want to feed him by hand for a bit until his next malt. If he gets better, leave him be. If not, maybe consider a mercy killing. It is not fair to him to live on blinded.

Good luck.

Yili

 

[gharner]

how long ago did this happen? i would watch him closely and hand feed him. see how he responds. eventually he may begin to move around again trying to find his den. theyre tough and maybe after a few molts he can pull through.

 

[gharner]

never mind u said a few weeks ago. he has been blind for a few weeks???

 

[Kirin1]

it will be 2 weeks tomorrow.

My first mantis lost a raptoral appendage once, sometimes they damage them and have to remove them. 2 Moults later you'd never know it had happened.

The eyes are much more complex though.

 

[Altpers0na]

in small tank with snails, i expect it should be fine..

while they have amazing eyes, their other sense are pretty good also..

if it cant find snails for bashing then target feed it..

 

[justinl]

Yeah i would probably just target feed it from now on, same as what you are already doing. While a mantis can fully regenrate something like a rapt after a few molts, unfortunately it cannot regenerate something as complex as its eyes.

edit: how did it get into the impeller of the AC in the first place? do you not have a guard over it?

 

[Kirin1]

The regular intake tube is too long, I had it on there when the tank was young, but as things grew and got moved around it got clogged all the time.

To give some back history, this is the 2nd mantis I've had in this tank. I lost the 1st one after about 1 1/2 yrs. when salinity went high while I was on vacation. I didn't give clear enough instruction to the tank sitter about top off and they didn't add any water. This tank now has an ATO.

My 1st mantis never bothered the filter. I've found out that a mantis will investigate a burrow if it smells another mantis. It's possible that the new guy smelled the old in the filter, but not likely, I have 2 AC20s and I switch them out on the regular for cleaning.

Thanks everyone for your replies.

Of course, I'm going to try to nurse him through as best as I can. I'll let you know what happens after he moults next.

 

[Altpers0na]

o ya, pictures...

all threads need pictures...

 

[kdblove_99]

Yeah, lets get some pics of the fella