Mantis never out

[frags4u]

Hey all I have had a Peacock mantis for about a month now and only get to see it when it feeds is there something Im doing wrong it never comes out of his littl ecave in the liverock unless food is there. I have a 10 gallon set up with a ecilpse hood, with live sand bottom and 3 pieces of rock that give him enough holes to chill in and still enought to move around on bottom

Thanks
Tom

 

[Gonodactylus]

First of all, a 10 gal is too small for an Odontodactylus scyllarus.

Second, there is no reason to come out as long as it is well fed.

Third, O. s that do not venture out during the day sometimes make nocturnal excursions.

If you give it more room to roam and more incentive, you would probably see it out. Still, life on the reef is harsh and if you have a nice safe burrow and no reason to leave it, why risk ending up in the stomach of a predator. Oh, yeah. There is sex, but males tend to be more active seeking mates than are females.

Roy

 

[frags4u]

The ten is just for now and it is a she hehe, But she is only inch and a half long but sure loves to eat =)

 

[Gonodactylus]

Are you sure this is a peacock. They recruit at about this size and we almost never see them for sale at this size.

Roy

 

[frags4u]

She came in on a peace of live rock and when I feed her tomorrow I will try and get her pick but damn she is fast hehe