How to tell difference?

[Guygettnby]

hello, i am thinking about setting up a seperate tank for a mantis shrimp and i have a local pet store that always has them in stock and they are cheap. only $5 a pop...

my question is how can i tell if they are smashers or spearer by looking at them? i do believe they all come from around the florida area if that helps.

what is the most active mantis that i could get?

can i put more then 1 mantis in a tank together and not have them kill each other if they are feed enough?

thanks for all the help and info

 

[justinl]

manids have two large over developed arms. they are quite obvious. smashers have a small club at the end of each arm. spearers arms are pretty much exactly like a praying mantis' arms.

one mantis per tank.

get a pic and we can probably ID it for you. generally the most active (best) mantis that i would suggest for a first time mantis owner would be N. wennerae or G. smithii if you can find it. they both need a minimum of 5gallons.

 

[Pea-brain]

Adding on to what justinl said, you are likely to find one of 4 mantises if they are all from florida. The most likely is Neogonodactylus wennerae (small interactive smasher), the second is probably pseudosquilla ciliata (small interactive spearer), and Odontodactylus havenensis (slightly largr smasher), and Neogonodactylus curacoensis (sp?) another small smasher with better water requirements than wennerae. Look them all up on roy's list (sticky on top) and see if it matches any of those. All are pretty active to my knowledge.

 

[Guygettnby]

the only info i have at this time is the guy said he has 4 in stock 2 green, 1 red and 1 yellow..

 

[Pea-brain]

If it is pure yellow it is probly P. ciliata. Green is probably wennerae, red its probly N. wennere also. For a beginner mantis N. wennerae is a good one. I personally started out with a P. ciliata because it was available and i like spearers, but they should have a 20 gallon when full grown (just short of 4") whereas N. wennerae can live comfortably in a 5-10 gallon full grown (about 3"). By the way, if you get the N. wennerae under most lighting it will probly turn green, and the P. ciliata might change color depending on environment. Dr. Roy has commented saying that yellow P. ciliata are the least likely to change color, and mine hasn't yet.

 

[justinl]

+1 on pea brains tentative guesses on the red and yellow one. especially the latter. as for the green ones, plenty of mantids can be green. likely N. wennerae or G. viridis as they seem to be the most common. N. curacaoensis is a rare one but does occur in florida.

 

[Guygettnby]

okay i found 1 that is black with vibrant redd markings on it....i have yet to see 1 like it on any website, anybody have a clue as to what it may be?

i couldnt take pictures of it for you guys, the guy was afraid to pick up the container....lol... i will be going back next weekend to pick it up and get some pictures.

 

[justinl]

sounds like G. ternatensis or a G. smithii with unusual coloration. My G. smithii has the red markings too. im assuming the red you're talking about are intersegmental lines like on this G. tern...

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthro...lacostraca/royslist/images/g_ternatensis4.jpg

 

[Guygettnby]

actually the red markings are kinda zebra striped...hard to explain but i will have a picture to show you guys here shortly as i have him on hold while i am setting up my new tank for him.