First mantis I actually Wanted !!

[althefishguy]

Well I'm hooked so this 15g hex which was
abandoned on my door step is now my first mantis tank, I got 2
O. Havanesis. 1 is out and about in the 15 hex the other is in a 2.5 until its 10g is ready (tomorrow) its hiding. So here are some pics of the 15 and its newest inmate it shares the tank with about
5-6 young harlequin serpent stars. Sorry for the bad pics will get better ones next time around, LMK what You think mantis seems to love the rock pile and natural cave system !!

Thanks AL
can't get pics to load check them out in the shrimp gallery if You like I'll figure this out sooner or later !!

 

[althefishguy]

Heres 1 pic I think !

 

[Gonodactylus]

O. havanensis do best if they have open space and are allowed to build a burrow using sand, gravel and small pieces of coral rubble and shell. A good way to get them started is to put a fairly flat piece of rubble about the size of a deck of cards on a sand bed about 1.5-2 inches deep. Scatter dime sized pieces of rubble in the area. The animal will dig under the rock and then use the small pieces of rubble to stabilize the burrow. In the end it will collect all the pieces and build a u-shaped tube under the rock. In the wild, O. h do not live close to big pieces of LR. They much prefer to be on open sand plains fro 40 feet down - most at the 90 foot + . Living so deep, they do not need a lot of light. In fact, we use no artificial illumination on any of our O. havanensis.

Roy

 

[althefishguy]

thanks Doc will be rescaping I guess I got 2 the other tank is more like your descp. Thanks again for the info.
Al

 

[althefishguy]

Will I stress it out ??

Will I stress it out ??

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10177649#post10177649 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Gonodactylus
O. havanensis do best if they have open space and are allowed to build a burrow using sand, gravel and small pieces of coral rubble and shell. A good way to get them started is to put a fairly flat piece of rubble about the size of a deck of cards on a sand bed about 1.5-2 inches deep. Scatter dime sized pieces of rubble in the area. The animal will dig under the rock and then use the small pieces of rubble to stabilize the burrow. In the end it will collect all the pieces and build a u-shaped tube under the rock. In the wild, O. h do not live close to big pieces of LR. They much prefer to be on open sand plains fro 40 feet down - most at the 90 foot + . Living so deep, they do not need a lot of light. In fact, we use no artificial illumination on any of our O. havanensis.

Roy

Dr. Roy I just went to see about rescaping as you desc. The mantis has draged rubble into the cave and made I guess a burrow under the rock pile (can't see complete tunnel) It is out & about has eatten a hermit already. Will I stress it out if I rescape now also How do you sex them would like to know if its m/f ? Sorry if I'm asking dumb questions , but like I said first mantis I've kept as inmate and not killed as pest !!

Thanks in advance Al

 

[Gonodactylus]

I would be alright to let the animal settle in for a while.

O. havanensis are not heavy duty smashers and while they can break hermits and snails, they don't get much of a return since it takes so many strikes to open one. I would supplement the diet with crabs or shrimp or freeze dried or frozen krill.

The only way to sex them is to look at the genitalia. Look at my thread pinned at the top of this forum.

Roy

 

[yankeereefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10177454#post10177454 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by althefishguy

Heres 1 pic I think !

Here you go:

 

[althefishguy]

Thanks