Mantis Shrimp $120

WOW!!! That mantis is HUGE!!! for a 15 incher spearer, you would need an enormous specialty tank fort he large deep sand burrow... If I could provide it, I may consider paying that much for such a "rare" specimen...
 
I doubt that this Lysiosquillid is 15". The only species in this family that gets that large is Lysiosquillina maculata and while animals up to 38 cm have been reported, it is rare to find one over 32 cm. Atlantic species don't get over 27 cm. I can't be sure from this photo, but the color suggests that this is a female. Females are not a spectactular as males because they have reduced raptorial appendages.

These are not difficult animals to keep and you could easily hold it in a 60 gal tank. I've posted instructions several times on how to construct a suitable tank for one of these guys. The biggest problem is that very large Lysios cannot produce sufficient mucus to construct a sand burrow. Therefore you have to either keep them in a substrate with some "stickiness" to it , a problem since this probably means organic material, or in a pvc burrow. This animal would probably be o.k. in a 3.5 or 4 inch diameter pvc pipe at least 50 cm long. Better yet, try the cut-away design that I have described.

Roy
 
Gonodactylus said:
I doubt that this Lysiosquillid is 15". The only species in this family that gets that large is Lysiosquillina maculata and while animals up to 38 cm have been reported, it is rare to find one over 32 cm. Atlantic species don't get over 27 cm. I can't be sure from this photo, but the color suggests that this is a female. Females are not a spectactular as males because they have reduced raptorial appendages.

These are not difficult animals to keep and you could easily hold it in a 60 gal tank. I've posted instructions several times on how to construct a suitable tank for one of these guys. The biggest problem is that very large Lysios cannot produce sufficient mucus to construct a sand burrow. Therefore you have to either keep them in a substrate with some "stickiness" to it , a problem since this probably means organic material, or in a pvc burrow. This animal would probably be o.k. in a 3.5 or 4 inch diameter pvc pipe at least 50 cm long. Better yet, try the cut-away design that I have described.

Roy
Click to expand...

You think $120 is fair Market Value, or are they trying to ride the hype train?
 
I have seen this one in person, and i helped take the picture. By your page i figured it was a female L. Maculata. I will say, if she is not 15", she's really, really close to it.
 
We measure stomatopods from the tip of the eyes to the tip of the telson. When most people look at a stomatopod, they usually include the antennules and antennae in estimating size. In an animal this size, that would add a couple of inches.

It is very unusual for a large female lysiosquillid to be caught. The one exception that I can think of was the female dredged in Honolulu last year. Females never leave their burrow and are usually shy when hunting (which only occurs if they lost their mate. This suggests to me that whoever caught the animal knew what they were doing and snared the male first, then the female.

I hope whoever buys this animal can find a male. It would be fantastic to have a large pair established in an observation burrow.

Roy
 
It is one sweet Mantis! You just can't tell by the picture how big it really is; should have something next to it as a scale like a small dog :lmao:
 
but it looks like ones we catch at camp we catch tons for free! or the ones they sell at the korean mart, theyre only $5 there!

Then again, i would never pay money for a mantis, most ppl are glad to get rid of them :)
 
goblinsharkman said:
but it looks like ones we catch at camp we catch tons for free! or the ones they sell at the korean mart, theyre only $5 there!

Then again, i would never pay money for a mantis, most ppl are glad to get rid of them :)
Click to expand...

One man's trash is another man's treasure :fun1:
 
goblinsharkman said:
but it looks like ones we catch at camp we catch tons for free! or the ones they sell at the korean mart, theyre only $5 there!

Then again, i would never pay money for a mantis, most ppl are glad to get rid of them :)
Click to expand...

Sorry for some cofusion with my previous comment, no we do not actually catch L. maculata at my camp, since its in VA not the indopacific but we do still catch fairly large squillids, and as far as the koreanmart goes, its up in the air there, they are big and stripped, but they keep them in the back and ive only seen them once.

I was just attempting to illustare why$120 is too much for a mantis! :rollface:
 
Squilla empusa is common inshore from New England to Florida and the Gulf Coast. The maximum recorded size for this species is 185 mm - just over 7 inches. It is almost certainly the species you are seeing off Virginia.

Roy
 
I saw this mantis in person as well. i would say 15" is correct. the thing looked like a small dog! kinda freaky, I would never put my hands in a tank with that in it.
 
Can anyone confirm if it is a male or a female? I have a very large L. maculata male and I'm looking for a female to pair with it in a large display tank with a cut-away burrow.

Roy
 
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