Mantis molting?

[sdm]

How do you tell if they're molting? My mantis (N. wennerae) has been sealed up in his tube(except for a 1/4" diameter opening at the top) since yesterday. Is he molting? Or is something else going on? He was perfectly normal on tuesday....

 

[ReneX]

Sounds like molting behavior to me. At least, that's pretty much what my N. wennerae would do when she molted.

 

[sdm]

Well that's a relief! I was gettin kinda worried!

 

[ReneX]

Well, take it with a grain of salt. It sounds like what my mantis did every time she molted, but she didn't make it through the last one.

 

[sdm]

Is having the door open and just staying in the back of the tube normal molting behavior? Because the door's open, he's in there (I saw him with a flashlight), but he's just really far in there and doesn't want to come out-doesn't even come to the front of the tube to peek out....

 

[jchough79]

My mantis went through a molt and I did not see him for two weeks. I was really nervous but he came out for food the other day!!! I keep mine in my reef tank so I rarely see him to begin with unless I have food for him.

 

[nubreefer]

SDM, you and I got phil and my n.wenn, Merrick, at about the same time. Mine has started molting, I hope, recently as well. Normally Merrick swims around the tank, eats voraciously, and comes out to greet my when I'm in my room. However for the past few days he hasn't been coming out at all. I miss him...

 

[sdm]

Extremely reclusive, right? Phil is even shying away from flashlights....

 

[CincyGida]

I've had two mantis in the same 20g tank for two weeks now and I have yet to see them out of their rocks. They come partially out to catch my target-feeding but that's it. I've seen less of them lately, so maybe they're molting? I've been feeding them frozen cooked shrimp for over a week.

Or maybe they are just too shy....

 

[Simms142]

My mantis dissapeared for over a month while molting. But it is back now, and does seal up its cave every single night only to reopen it in the morning. I think it is to prevent pods from wandering in on his beautysleep. BTW mines a G. Smithii

 

[nubreefer]

SDM. Yeah he's being incredibly reclusive still. I know I probably shouldn't worry, the water specs are primo. He's prolly just allowing his shell to harden. But you know how it is, the cat is both dead and alive at the same time... (sorry for the the obscure reference)