Can Mantis Shrimp co-exist

[Docbones]

Bought a peice of live rock this morning ...seems it had a hitchhiker..

Caught a glimpse of a mantis about 2 inches long shoot across my tank...appears to be black or dark read

If they cant ...how do i catch it seems to be quite the swimmer

 

[Docbones]

Ok after looking through Roys List it seems my Mantis was most likely mis-labaled at the store..

it seems the one i bought is a Smithii about 4 inches

the hitch hiker looks like the Bredini about 1 1/2 inches long

should i try to catch him...hope he lives....or let him be food?

 

[Hutton]

what did the store sell it as? smithiis are great mantis shrimp. they may fight. form what i have read smithiis would rather run than fight, often bluffing with a meral spread.

 

[Docbones]

They sold it as a Peacock but hes very cool and i got him for $20 so thats not a big deal really

But i did catch the hitchhiker, i saw where he was hiding and put a cube of frozen mysis shrimp in a net , held it in front of his hole and he jumped right in.....got lucky i guess


Gave it to a freind of mine for his Mini bow

 

[Gonodactylus]

I usually advise agains keeping any stomatopods together (except species that form monogamous pairs), but it this case you may be alright. The size difference is such that the small one may have a good refuge that the smithii can't penetrate. In the field it is not uncommon to fing Haptosquilla glyptocercus living in small cavities only a couple of inches from the entrance to a much larger G. smithii or G. chiragra.

There is some risk that the G. smithii could molt and be attacked by the N. wennerae, but Gs usually seal the cavity quite well when they molt and they can also bluff.

I certainly would not tear the tank down trying to get the little guy out.

Roy

 

[Uriel]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6832935#post6832935 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Gonodactylus
I usually advise agains keeping any stomatopods together (except species that form monogamous pairs...
Roy

Dr. Roy, are there any smashers that pair up for the long term?

As well, I remember (At your lecture at the BAR meeting a few months back) you mentioning one interesting species where the female only chooses small males, since it would be easier to defend his attempt at cavity-takeover. This in a sandy environment where good rock homes are very difficult to aquire, I believe. Which was this species, again?


Thanks,

-Ron

 

[Gonodactylus]

There are several Gonodactylids that mate-guard, but only for a few days.

Haptosquilla trispinosa is the cavity limited species I was talking about.

Roy