Mantis Shrimp Eating Question

[LotsaTanks]

I have a large peacock mantis I got around 4 weeks ago. He is a smasher and is very nice and interactive. He lives in a 60 gal tank hooked up to other tanks w/plenty of water volume, skimmer etc. I have tried to feed him every other day a variety of food including raw shrimp with the shell on, trigger cube formula (mix of seafood), live mussel shells, silversides, squid, octopus, clam. He seems to only eat the raw shrimp and sometimes throws that back at me. He eats shrimp a couple times a week. He does not eat the live mussel or other foods I have offered him. He runs out and grabs the food from me but then pushes it back at me after he tastes it or plays with it a few seconds. Is this ok or should I try something else?

 

[BLockamon]

He may be getting ready to molt. They will reject food for a few / several days before a molt. From what I understand, it is also fairly common for them to molt soon after settling in. One theory is that they are often underfed at the stores and therefore "put off" molting until the food supply picks up.

 

[DanInSD]

My advice (I have a peacock myself) is to thrown in a bunch of hermits and snails and let him go hunting. If he's hungry, he'll eat. If they are stressed, trying to feed them just makes them more so.

Dan

 

[LotsaTanks]

My mantis did molt just today. He seems to have gotten all of his old shell off in one piece. His new shell is now lighter colored and he seems weaker as he is upright but making little swimming motions with his legs and is just outside his burrow. Is it likely he will be back to normal in the near future?