mantis id and question

[SharkBait73]

Hi all,

I picked up this tiny mantis from my LFS... He was a hitchhiker on their LR and thankfully they didn't kill him and instead offered him for adoption...
I was wondering if anyone knew what kind of mantis this was (guy in LFS said he was a smasher) and if it is normal behavior for them to go into hiding for a few days to get comfortable in their new home....I currently have him in my 20 gallon sump/fuge and I set up a little rock scape for him and there is about 3/4 of an inch sand bottom...
The first day he was checking out all the rocks and rubble in there and now I haven't seen or heard him for 3 days.. I am hoping he is ok... Thanks for any input!!

 

[gnasher]

He does look tiny! How big is he?

I can't help you with an ID, but not seeing a mantis for a few days is not usually a big deal, especially if they're molting, which your guy will be doing more frequently while young. Is there anything in the tank he can eat?

Others might be able to give you a better idea for the species if you knew where he came from and if you could describe his meral spots. Good luck with him!

 

[mbauma]

I only see my wennerae every few weeks or so, but he's in my 140 reef tank. Find out where the rock came from to help ID him.

 

[SharkBait73]

Thanks guys for the responses!
gnasher-- he really is tiny!! I drop some Mysis shrimp down there for him, plus there are a lot of amphipods in there... He came out a couple of times since I had him and now I am thinking he is not a smasher like the LFS said... When I first put him in the tank, he burrowed in the sand for a bit, then he went exploring... and when I do see him out, he is hanging around on my filter sock, not in the rock and I never see any of the rubble moved around either...I had also bought a back issue of Coral magazine, that had a whole write up on mantis shrimp and one key thing in helping ID the, are their eyes...Apparently, smashers have round eyes and spearers have long eyes.. and my little guy def has long eyes... And the next time I go by the LFS, I will ask them where their rock is from... I know I def won't win any photo contests with these pics, but this is what I was able to get when he was out the last time..





......

 

[Forfekte]

Hi all,

I picked up this tiny mantis from my LFS... He was a hitchhiker on their LR and thankfully they didn't kill him and instead offered him for adoption...
I was wondering if anyone knew what kind of mantis this was (guy in LFS said he was a smasher) and if it is normal behavior for them to go into hiding for a few days to get comfortable in their new home....I currently have him in my 20 gallon sump/fuge and I set up a little rock scape for him and there is about 3/4 of an inch sand bottom...
The first day he was checking out all the rocks and rubble in there and now I haven't seen or heard him for 3 days.. I am hoping he is ok... Thanks for any input!!

Hey there! Judging by the pointy white eyes, coloration, mantis size, telson, and what looks like a white band going across the anterior telson and uropods, I would say that it is a Gonodactylus Affinis. It also looks like it has some white spots/lines elsewhere on the body but it is kind of hard to make out in the pictures. I very well could be incorrect though.

Congrats on the mantis!

 

[SharkBait73]

Thanks Forfekte!! I have to check out that type.. I have not seen him again since I took the picture... He seems to be a reclusive little one! I am hoping I can get a better shot of him!

 

[gnasher]

So cute! You're gonna have a lot of fun watching him grow, and hopefully he'll be a little more interactive when he's bigger.

 

[nano_reefer10]

Nice little find. I have a similar looking mantis; unfortunately, there are so many different species its difficult to identify the minor differences between the similar looking ones.

 

[SharkBait73]

Thanks gnasher! He is a cute little bugger! He is only about an inch... and I sure hope to see him more! I was so excited about getting a mantis w/o having to set up a separate tank!
nano-reefer10--is yours still that small? Have long have you had him? Is he reclusive or was he and now more bold?

Thanks!

 

[peasofme]

i find the smaller ones to be bolder