getting there, they're here

[Leviathan_XE]

Boy, mantis keeping is really addictive. There's something about them that just facinates me. First just wanted one, then before you know it there was two. Now I want to keep as many as I can get my hands on! After checking the lfs every week and coming up empty(besides for a beautiful female peacock, but sadly I don't have the space right now for a tank large enough). I placed an and order with TBS for two mantids to properly start off the collection. It was my first time ordering livestock online, but I must say that I'm extemely pleased with the service I got. I ordered yesterday around noon, they were shipped out around 2:00 and arrived this morning at 11:30. Just in time too, because the green one had it's dactyl stuck in the plastic near the top of the bag and was dangling completely out of water when I opened the box! Easily solved though, just inverted the bag so that it was covered with water and it freed itself. Still aclimating...
Reddish female

Greenish male

These little ones make 3 altogether, I lost my G.platysoma I while back.
Dan, my G.smithii

Master Chief R.I.P

You would think that animals that were considered pest wouldn't be so dang hard to find. Now if I could just get my hands on an N.curacaoensis that would be sweet....

 

[sandlot13]

looks like you have quite the collection there! im trying add to mine, but finding these stomatopods are quite difficult..... and it seems that lately less and less have been hitchiking in on live rock looks great though! how much did it run you for the two you just got?

 

[psychodave]

wow, i really like the green one! Nice Mantis!

 

[Leviathan_XE]

thx guys, sandlot they were 10 bucks each + 40 for overnight ship. Was really trying to get lucky and find one where I found my smithii but after 5 months of searching I grew tired of an empty tank so I went with a known supplier of one of the smaller species. In my search I did come across quite a few peacocks though.

 

[n00b2SWF]

Nice!!
What is N.curacaoensis? Do you have picture? I am curious.

 

[Leviathan_XE]

There's just something about this species that just calls to me. But they seldom seem to show up in the trade. But I'm sure that each one of us has one particular species that they really want to keep....
N.curacaoensis

 

[sandlot13]

man, that is quite the specie! where did you hear about that one/ where did you get the pictures?

 

[Leviathan_XE]

yeah, I think so too! Just stunning coloration. It's actually listed on Dr. Roy's list, which I check out about every other day to help sharpen my ID skills. But the pics I got from: http://www.grimreefers.com/forums/index.php? It's the only other mantis forum that I've found so far. Some guy there bought one for 2 bucks! So jealous......