Mantis shrimp color and diet?

[UCBryant]

I feel like i have a potentially very colorful N. Wennerae and would like to keep it that way. Is there any way to enhance current colors or bring out more? Does a varied diet help? Tank lighting?

I'd love for him to look like this:

 

[Gonodactylus]

Keep him in a colorful, relatively low light world and provide supplements that contain lots of carotenoids.

Roy

 

[UCBryant]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12023968#post12023968 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Gonodactylus
Keep him in a colorful, relatively low light world and provide supplements that contain lots of carotenoids.

Roy

Would it be safe to provide colorful artificial rocks? I don't have a lot of coralline in my main tank, and don't want to set up colorful corals in this 5 gallon (not yet at least). I do have plenty of plants though.

Of course, my worry is that this guy will try to smash the artificial rocks.

 

[Gonodactylus]

Plants are good. I find that my animals in algae covered tanks do well.

I don't have any experience with artificial rocks. I do know that some of the colored artificial gravel kills stomatopods.

Roy

 

[Chelsey]

What foods high in carotenoids do you suggest Dr Roy?

 

[UCBryant]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12050909#post12050909 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Chelsey
What foods high in carotenoids do you suggest Dr Roy?

I second that question

Also... Dr Roy, can I come visit your lab? It's a short bart trip for me :-D

 

[MantisO_o]

define low light? dim?

 

[Pea-brain]

Probably in a bluer spectrum.

Dan

 

[MantisO_o]

How about something like this? True Actinic 03 Blue Fluorescent - 'The Actinic 03 lamp provides a blue light in the 420 nanometer range that stimulates many pigments in organisms such as corals, fish and invertebrates, causing them to fluoresce in beautiful glowing colors.'

 

[UCBryant]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12023968#post12023968 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Gonodactylus
Keep him in a colorful, relatively low light world and provide supplements that contain lots of carotenoids.

Roy

bump

Dr. Roy, where do you get your carotenoid supplements? Can we grind up pills from Walgreens?