Can a mantis live on hermits alone?
- Thread starter GlobaLPimP
- Start date
GlobaLPimP
New member
Sorry...I am new to Mantis "care". I have only heard of them eating hermits so I asked... I may convert an old 25 I have into a mantis tank. However, it would be pretty much for the sole purpose of seeing him destroy hermits as I have seen on so many home videos. My 75g reef keeps me pretty busy so I am not looking for a TON more maintenance with this project
i love feeding my little guys live food--it is the best part of having a mantis
not only do they like hermits, there are also snails, emerald crabs, shrimp, etc...variety is always good. some of mine, especially the chiragra, go more crazy over snails than anything.
ebay is the way to go for live food. i just got a huge lot of hermits and 4 different species of snails. even including shipping, i paid an average of 25 cents a piece. LFS prices here are all over $1 each, with most averaging $2-3 for any type of hermit or snail, so it is much more economical.
my mantids' favorite new snack are illyanassa snails...i have heard a lot of debate as to whether they are reef safe, but i do know for a fact they are NOT mantis safe
not only do they like hermits, there are also snails, emerald crabs, shrimp, etc...variety is always good. some of mine, especially the chiragra, go more crazy over snails than anything.
ebay is the way to go for live food. i just got a huge lot of hermits and 4 different species of snails. even including shipping, i paid an average of 25 cents a piece. LFS prices here are all over $1 each, with most averaging $2-3 for any type of hermit or snail, so it is much more economical.
my mantids' favorite new snack are illyanassa snails...i have heard a lot of debate as to whether they are reef safe, but i do know for a fact they are NOT mantis safe
theres a couple people on this board that stick to exclusively live i believe and their mantids are doing great. after all live is their exclusive diet in the wild (and scavenging of course but i belive they hunt more).
the reason so many of us like mainly frzen diets is that it is easier to control. that's all really. of course you get to see the live show once in a while when you supplement live.
crabs make the best show by far. hermits and snails are just too easy and a mantis may ignore it since it can go hunt it down any time. when i put a crab in though... wow.
if you decide to do live only, go for it, but throw variety in like medellia said.
the reason so many of us like mainly frzen diets is that it is easier to control. that's all really. of course you get to see the live show once in a while when you supplement live.
crabs make the best show by far. hermits and snails are just too easy and a mantis may ignore it since it can go hunt it down any time. when i put a crab in though... wow.
if you decide to do live only, go for it, but throw variety in like medellia said.
GlobaLPimP
New member
great - thanks for all the input...I may follow through with this project this weekend
Dirt4dinner
Home Growin' SUSHI!
I just keep a mixture of snails and hermits in my mantis tank. He eats when he wants. I also keep a small damsel in there...but right now I can't find it (gee....I wonder what happened to it?).
The way I keep things going with my mantis food supply is; anytime I am at the LFS I pick up $5 worth of snail and hermits (which is 5 at .99 cents each) and I add them to my reef tank. I try to check daily on how many hermits and snails are in the Mantis tank and when I notice it getting low I grab a few snails off the glass in the reef tank and a few hermits off the rocks and toss them in with the mantis. I just keep cycling hermits and snails from the LFS into my reef, then into the mantis tank. Works well, and he always has food avilable.
Good luck...you will love having a mantis! It's the coolest saltwater critter I have ever had!
The way I keep things going with my mantis food supply is; anytime I am at the LFS I pick up $5 worth of snail and hermits (which is 5 at .99 cents each) and I add them to my reef tank. I try to check daily on how many hermits and snails are in the Mantis tank and when I notice it getting low I grab a few snails off the glass in the reef tank and a few hermits off the rocks and toss them in with the mantis. I just keep cycling hermits and snails from the LFS into my reef, then into the mantis tank. Works well, and he always has food avilable.
Good luck...you will love having a mantis! It's the coolest saltwater critter I have ever had!
GlobaLPimP
New member
That sounds like the way to go for me too
