gulf or keys mantis?

[Jay_1966]

I got a mantis or two from TBS LR. The first batch came from the gulf of Mexico near Tampa and the second batch came from the keys I believe.

On the first batch I occasionally heard a faint click - or series and I visually spotted a very small 1.5cm bright pastel green mantis. He stays in a hole in the LR and just shuttles around the rock like a roller coaster.

In the second batch I began hearing a very loud clicking - much more frequently. I have yet to see another Mantis. The clicks are the same in quality but now they are much louder. This is from the rock I obtained from the keys.

btw - I have seen no evidence of predation even though I know they must be eating something. I haven't seen them attempt to eat when the tank is fed.

Sharing the space is a 39 gallon red seamax, 80lbs LR, 40lbs LS, 3 cucumber, serpent star, large brittle star, bunch of small brittle stars, assorted corals and sponges, 2 peppermint shrimp, blue leg hermits and astrea snails. I only know of one hermit that took an astrea shell. No other signs of predation.

Any urgent worry about removal of the mantis?

 

[justinl]

well if you dont see any negative effects from their presence, what would be the point in removing them? there is none imo.

Just because it's TBS rock which often has mantis hitchers, Ill say that yea it probably is a mantis. there are other possibilities though. pistol shrimp, heater, fish, hermit/snail shells hitting the glass are a few. but like i said, it's TBS. oh, and because it's TBS, the mantids will very likely be N. wennerae... a smaller species that is very nearly even reef safe. only thing is that it may take out a few shrimp and small hermits/crabs/snails. no biggie really. fairly unlikely to prey on healthy pelagic fish. benthic fish like gobies may be at risk.

If you figure out where the mantids live, you can even spot feed them frozen meaty feed. this will lessen their need to hunt your clean up crew.

so short answer to the question is no. but one thing that did strike me is the fact that you have three cucumbers in there. how big are the cukes and what kind are they (filter feeder, sand sifter, toxic, non-toxic)?

 

[Jay_1966]

one cucumber is dark brown with light brown bristles. He is about 3 inches long and he filter feeds - I've seen the plummage come out of his mouth/anus.

The other two came in the second batch. They are both about 3 inches long though they can stretch to about 6 inches long. They are are all black and bumpy. They are very mobile. They other one just sits in the same spot on the rock all the time. These other two move around and are in a new spot every day. They stay on the rock. I have never seen them filter, but have never seen them feed either. I was under the impression they are donkey dung cucumbers.

All three came from TBS. The first in the sand (although he doesn't like to stay in the sand, and filter feeds). a month later I got the other two with the cleanup crew.

I am worried they won't have enough to eat. I don't know.

 

[DanInSD]

You may also have a pistol shrimp, they make sounds very similar to mantis. In any case, they should be interesting additions to your new reef.

Dan