Mantis ID??

[fareforce]

Can anyone id what type of mantis this is? How big he will get? Can he break my tank? Do I need to get rid of him? So Many Questions!

His tail is translucent red, but the tips of his back fins (talons?) are blue. I will try to get more pics..

What is the best way to remove him? I tried the "homemade mantis trap" last night, but didn't work.. I will try again tonight.

 

[narow37]

cant really tell from the picture, looks like the bottom of it, but from the color it might be a peacock.

 

[Hutton]

no it is not a peakock. it is maybe a g smithii that was kept in lower lighting. when they are found at lower depths they are red.

 

[fareforce]

I dont think that he is a peacock, as he has no green on him.. His whole body is red.. the only thing that is a different color are his tail fins, which are blue.. I will try to get more pics..

 

[Hutton]

are his meral spots purple with a white ring around the purple?

 

[fareforce]

meral spots? where are those?

 

[Hutton]

on the iner sides of his clubs

 

[fareforce]

I will try to figure out the color, and get a picture tonight.. Are these guys more active at night or during the day? Mine seems to go 24x7..

 

[goblinsharkman]

i dont think its an Odontodactlyid, how big is it?

looks more like a Neogonodactlyid or gonodactlyid, where did you get him from? (pacific rock/ atlantic rock?)

 

[fareforce]

It was TBS gulf rock. He is about 2" long. His body is more of a maroon color, and a red head.. I can't see any meral spots on him, but I will keep looking. He has not ate any of my crabs or snails yet, he just goes around clicking, and burrowing out my rock.

I bought a comercial mantis trap to try to catch him.. We will see how it goes..

I am mainly worried about this guy breaking my tank.. Will he be able to?

 

[rwhhunt]

kinda looks like my wennerea

 

[Hutton]

no he wont if he is a small species. i have never heard of a wennerea or a smithii or any small species breaking glass. if its a 20 gallon a peackock( biggest smasher) would have trouble breaking glass.

 

[fareforce]

It's in a 55 gal tank.. This weekend the rock is coming out and I am squirting the hole with soda water.. What do I do with him once he is out? I have no use for him, but dont want to kill him (he is kinda cute).

 

[ERICinFL]

See if your LFS will trade you for something you want.

 

[rwhhunt]

go buy a little $50 5-10 gallon set up for him, I promise he will be your new favorite pet!

 

[Uriel]

Seriously, as rwhunt said, set him up.

A little Eclipse tank (or similar), some live rock rubble and an inch or two of sand, some leftover coral frags etc...and you have a mini-reef for an incredibly interesting animal.

Plus...when you get other undesireable hitch-hikers (Gorilla Crabs, coral eating snails...for instance), he will happily slay they for you.
My LFS saves me any unwanted gorillas or above-mentioned snails...for one of my 8 mantis shrimp.

They really are great pets.


-Ron

 

[Hutton]

i agree with Uriel and rwhhunt. they make awsome pets. its cool to see them decorate thier homes with hsells and lr rubble.

 

[fareforce]

I think I might set him up with a little eclipse5 tank.. That's a good idea!.. I finially caught him! Here is a new pic!

What kind is he?

 

[liverock]

I think I might set him up with a little eclipse5 tank.. That's a good idea!.. I finially caught him! Here is a new pic!

What kind is he?

wennera