Caledoniella montrouzieri Removed - Molting

[andromedia226]

Hi all!

As a follow up to what seemed like a parasitic snail on an older smithii:

-Coaxed smithii to show its underside, used tweezers to crush the snail.

- Within 4 days, the mantis had removed the snail remains or the remains had detached on their own.

- 7 days after "the crushing", the mantis began to molt.

Prior to the snail's removal, the mantis was not eating. I might guess that the mantis started molting in response to the removal of the snail - all supposition, but that's my impression...

Also, the smithii is having a very bad molt. It's been jackknifing for at least 2 hours, and while I can see the untanned shell in between the crevaces of the loosened current shell, the shell won't split, and the mantis is out of its home in the middle of the sand bed, doing aerobatics (aquabatics?) just trying (I think) to remove the shell.

I've looked through the molting information Dr. Roy has kindly provided, as well as the failed moltings on the forum, and it's not looking good...

A question: What is the LONGEST time your mantis(s') have spent actively molting and survived? I know different species/m/f/sizes are different, too.

Thanks for any info/help you can provide guys and girls!

 

[andromedia226]

Red alert!

Red alert!

Smithii attempted molting for at least 6 hrs.

8:53 - Unconscious, no gill movement, excrement out. (Question: if they don't eat for many days in advance of molting, then why would there still be material to excrete?)
8:57 - retrieved, put into solitary, bright light, physical prodding and sound "administered".
8:58 gill movement restarts, mouth-parts twitch, rear region wealky attempts jackknife, strange, very thin leg like appendages emerge from mouth area. they appear to be tipped with gills, but poke obsessively at the underside of the walking leg region, almost looks like they're stroking those gills into moving. Black lines in eyes are blinking.

 

[andromedia226]

Smithii died - after an obvious failed molt, isolated and introduced clover oil then vodka other than to let it suffer for another day on the bottom of the tank.

 

[Ms. K]

I'm really sorry to hear about your mantis.

 

[psychodave]

that sucks man,, im sorry. I lost my G. Chiragra, Mitch, the same way