Finally got me a mantis

[Marc Daniels]

Here are two pics of my new mantis that I picked up this afternoon. I believe it to be a Pseudosquilla ciliata, simply because it is identical to the top picture at this link http://www.blueboard.com/mantis/pics/yellow_pseudosquilla_collage.htm

I'll have to do some more work to get a positive ID. It started eating a small piece of raw shrimp after only 1 hour in the tank. I hope this is a good sign, but I look forward to watching it capture live prey.

 

[Marc Daniels]

Second picture attached.

 

[HKS]

Just curious, but did you pick it up from Exotic Aquarium on Florin Road? I've seen one there for the past two weeks. No price tag but looks just like mine. I haven't had the time to go buy live fish for it to tackle yet, but for right now, mine loves frozen mysis and it even eats flakes.

 

[Marc Daniels]

Actually no, I got mine from Capitol. I had a bunch of frags to turn in, and Shane is the only one that will give me cash. They had the yellow one that I picked up, and also a bright red one. They wanted $22 for the one I got, and only $18 for the red one. I would have bought both, but I only had one tank to put them into.
Marc

 

[Marc Daniels]

Hey, this is a short movie of a spearer mantis capturing prey. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sharks/island/mantisqt.html

 

[Marc Daniels]

Update!

Rainbow Mantis 1 - Live Ghost Shrimp 0

It was really cool to watch it stlk the ghost shrimp and then attack it. I'll see if I can't get a film of it to post in a week or two.

Marc

 

[JKramer0706]

Wow that is one huge mantis in the movie!

 

[DensityMan]

Very cool movie link and it looks like Marc got a beautiful mantis. How big is the yellow mantis you brought home?

 

[Marc Daniels]

I'd say 3 - 3.5 inches. If I get up the nerve I'll measure him for ya. I successfully fed him two ghost shrimp yesterday. Anyone have any thoughts on enriching these? I fed them Vibragrow pellets an hour before feeding them. You could see the pellets had been ingested by the shrimp.

Marc

 

[jedimpt]

I cant get the movie to play. Damn!

 

[CodeToad]

Congradulations Looks great!

 

[JKramer0706]

I soak all of my live food in either selcon or zoe they both work really well.

 

[njmar1]

Very pretty mantis. I wish mine were nicer! I have a red N. wennerae that turned green, and a little bugger that is brown with white spots on it.

 

[Marc Daniels]

JKramer0706

What sort of live food are you feeding?

 

[gold]

man that yellow mantis sure was ugly that guy bought. i would be dissapoited to see all the other cool ones with all the colors and then to se that crap in my tank. man that would suck.

 

[SoKaL ReeFiN]

That was a great movie clip. Nice looking mantis you got there as well.

 

[RogueCorps]

Wow, even Shane is stocking mantises now? Good news to see more people keeping them instead of killing them. Congrats on the new pet!

Great video! Looks like a L. Maculata.

-Rogue

 

[RogueCorps]

Oh! West Coast Tropical Marine? Hey Marc, I have a bunch of snails from the SEABay group buy. All doing well, thanks!

-Rogue