ID please ?

[xxvietxjustinxx]

Hey guys, just picked this guy up from Oceans Pet in Northridge, CA for free. I acclimated him to my reef tank water, and then put him into a seperate 10 gallon tank (normal 10 gal glass). He doesn't seem that big, 3-4 inches at most. I don't think he'll break the glass (knock on wood) but I know that it's a possibility.

All I have in there is some live sand and some live rock from my reef tank (been in there for at least 5 years). There's actually some piink pom pom xenia on the rocks, which will probably die off or I'll scrub it off when I get a chance. All I have in there is a Maxi 1200 that seems a little bit too strong. Anybody have any advice on what esle I need? Temperature should be fine IMO. I believe the pump is a little too strong. He has his own little PC light just as well (normal bulb that you find at Home Depot) I threw a hermit in there and an hour later, he's still there, so I don't really know if he's a smasher or spearer.

Anybody wanna give a try at his ID? I think he looks like a
Gonodactylaceus falcatus

(sorry for horrible quality of pictures guys. Water is still cloudy and I dont have my 20D. Glass is dirty just as well.) [Maybe I should run carbon?]

Agree? Disagree?

 

[Pea-brain]

I'm thinking chiragra. One of the 2 common species that can break glass. But unlikely because it spends most of its time in its burrow. seclusive, but powerful. unless someone else has an opinion. I'm kind of a novice, but that looks like kinda like my chriagra based on telson and pleopods. And that mottled color is common for chiragra. I'm guessing it is also female based on the light color.

 

[medellia]

i agree with you on chiragra...
they are powerful and vicious, and are definitely capable of breaking glass, but if you don't tease them you shouldn't have to worry too much about the tank. the main thing to watch out for is the bottom of the tank. you may want to re-inforce it with a sheet of acrylic. they are great burrowers, and can easily tunnel through solid rock. then, when they hit a corner or the bottom of the tank, they just try to tunnel on through. after watching mine excavating her den and seeing the chips of rock flying, i am glad she is in an acrylic tank!
mine seems to leave hermits alone unless she is super hungry. they can wander right past her den, and she ignores them. but snails are the one thing that she will come completely out of her burrow for. as soon as i throw one in, she homes in on it. she zooms out and grabs it, and drags it back to her den. then it is fun to watch the chips of shell fly. she eats the snail, then continues to mash the shell just for fun chiragra are pretty cool.

 

[Thurge]

I keep my male Chiagra in a 15 gallon glass tank. He has a PVC burrow that is about 18" long with a T in the middle that comes out 9". He has blocked up the three entrances and only on rare occasions does he open more than one entrance, usually keeping them all closed. I have never seen him try and burrow anywhere in the tank.

 

[xxvietxjustinxx]

Thanks for all the info guys. Any opinions on the 10 gal setup with a Maxi 1200 and normal fuge light? Can I put some chaeto in there?

 

[DanInSD]

10 gal might be too small for this if he is indeed a chiragra. The Maxi 1200 and fuge light are fine, as is the chaeto.

Hopefully that tank will clear up soon, so you can get some better pics for us.

 

[xxvietxjustinxx]

Here are some new pics. I also picked up another Mantis for free, but I don't know what kind is it. Is it one of those common types from Florida? Check it out. Also, on it's tail is a little bump. I dont know if it's a type of fungus or it's normal. Take a look.

Here's the other

 

[DanInSD]

Both look like male Gonodactylus chiragra -- and the one looks like it has shell disease on the tail.

These are in separate tanks, right??!

Dan

 

[408mike]

Damn dude! They got anymore mantis's I live in sunnyvale.

 

[xxvietxjustinxx]

The second one with the shell disease on it's tail looks completely different from the first one that was given to me. Well in my opinion at least. Yes, of course they are in separate tanks, lol.

 

[NinaStarr]

What color are the merals on the second mantis? Looks to be orange. Maybe g.tern?

 

[justinl]

g tern have red lines between their carapace segments. occasionally the same feature shows up on G. smithii (like mine). so not g tern. i dunno what it is though.

 

[NinaStarr]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9892055#post9892055 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by justinl
g tern have red lines between their carapace segments. occasionally the same feature shows up on G. smithii (like mine). so not g tern. i dunno what it is though.

I have both a tern and a smithii both with the red lines, what made me think g.tern was what looks like orange merals on one of the pictures kinda looks like my female tern... if the merals are white I would suggest n.wennerae (sp?)... its hard to tell Im certainly no expert like dr. roy and just an admirier of the stomatopods.

 

[Gonodactylus]

This is a G. chiragra. Don't worry too much about the telson. At this point it is not shell disease, just an old wound. While it coult turn into shell disease, if the animal molts normally and you provide a good, dark cavity, chances are it will be fine.

Roy

 

[xxvietxjustinxx]

I see. Very cool. From the pictures I saw on Roy's website, it doesn't look like a chiragra. The first one is possibly a chiraga, but the second one resembles nothing of it. Maybe different sexes?