mantis shrimp-eggs

[ssssynapse]

We aquired a mantis shrimp when my husband was eeling in the river. He's a commercial fisherman and had never seen any in the river, only offshore. This speciman is about six inches long and green/black. It's been doing well in our tank for about six months. Lately it has seemed agitated and didn't want to eat for two days. The color of its underside had changed to a reddish green. We thought it was going to shed but then it passed a large (1/4 cup?) orange blop tonight. Eggs? I found your site tonight, thought I'd ask. The material is not friable, it is stuck together. But, she? didn't bury it nor is she fussing with it. Do they ever pass unfertilized eggs? Should we remove it before it contaminates the tank?
ssssynapse

 

[Scotty]

Souds like eggs to me. They don't normally poop big orange blobs. Mantis are fierce guardians of their eggs.If she's not paying attention to it, I would think it would foul the tank eventually. I'd remove it if it seems 'dead'.

 

[Q-ball]

Sure sounds like eggs to me. Regardless of what it is though, if she's not protecting it like mentioned above, I'd guess they're dead eggs. I wonder if they have to eject unfertilized eggs after a certain period of time? Are their eggs fertilized inside their body, or after the eggs are laid?

Q!!!

 

[moviegeek]

Send me your e-mail and I'll e-mail you a picture of a mantis with eggs. You have elected not to receive e-mails from this board. My mail is moviegeek@hotmail.com