Mantis ever happy with its burrow?

[EzRida206]

I've had a small smasher (I suspect N Wennerae) a couple of weeks now and its dug itself quite a network of tunnels under my LR, refusing to live in the rock itself. These days my tank is always cloudy with new tunneling and crap being kicked up by the mantis burrowing around - will it ever finish doing that? Man was putting a mantis with 4" of southdown not a good idea (was opting for a spearer when I first set up).

thx

 

[traveller7]

Re: Mantis ever happy with its burrow?

....... - will it ever finish doing that? ....

Well over 3 years in and no, mine has not.

 

[ReneX]

After watching mine burrow and futz around non-stop for more than a week, I'm beginning to think canny people could market them as sand-stirrers. A good mechanical filter will take that right out of the water...take out the sponge and you've just removed tons of detritus from your tank.

 

[Gonodactylus]

In the field, N. wennerae do not live in burrows under rocks. They only live in cavities. When they can't find a suitable one, they dig around the base of rubble trying to uncover a filled in cavity. Give the animal a couple of appropriate cavities and the digging will slow down, although they still will still explore.

Roy

 

[EzRida206]

I regarranged my liverock before aquiring the mantis to make sure I had all kinds of cavities and holes/caves for it to hide in... perhaps it isn't a N. Wennarae? I'll try to post a pic soon.

 

[Hwarang]

My mantis constructed a burrow in one chunk of rock, and used that as the main burrow, while constructing a network of tunnels under the LR chunks. After she molted a few times, she abandoned the original home (or maybe I should say she uses it only as a summer cottage, as I see her going in it sometimes still). Now she is busy making a new burrow in a different chunk of rock.

 

[Agu]

My N. wennerae has built his/her own cavities in the live rock. Shortly after introduction to it's home my wife told me something was "wrong" with the tank because it was clicking loudly. Shortly thereafter the mantis had a burrow opening out the front of the rock and the clicking stopped.

Agu