Mantis Tank Project (lots of photos)

[biomekanic]

I have the same problem with Carl, I'm going to try and get some shots of him this weekend as well.

Symbiosis is ok, the owner seems a little on the flighty side.
BTW, if you join PNWMAS and get a membership card, you can get 10% off anything you buy at C&S.

 

[zero_one]

I got a new mantis today (still not the peacock I want, but he was pretty nice, and large), hes very very very active. Home for now 2 hours and is very enjoyable to watch.

Anyone know what he is?

Hes about 3.5 ot 4 inches long, smasher.

 

[zero_one]

I payed $40 for him, the store I bought it from will take it back from me for trade on a peacock when they finally get one in. I have named him Frank, Pete has not been seen in 1 week, I'm going to take him to work (5 gallon tank) tonight and see if he comes out, I have not heard him really either so I think he may be dead.

 

[zero_one]

Here's a better Photo

 

[zero_one]

Aparently he is a Pseudosquilla ciliata, which is in the family Gonodactyloidea, he is aparently the only spearer in the family from what I've read, which sucks for me becuase I really wanted one. This guy is also know as the "Rainbow Mantis" for its ability to match colors around him after molting. Anyone want to trade for a Peacock?

 

[Jacob D]

Thats a cool mantis ya got, why trade for a peacock which are like a dime a dozen (not literally, but you get the point)? You don't have them both living in the same tank do you?

 

[goblinsharkman]

Psuedosquilla ciliata isnt in the gonodactyloid family because dactlyus means smasher and squilla means spearer

 

[zero_one]

From what I read is that they are in the same family, but thats according to mr. internet, so that could (probley is) wrong. Anyone know what this guys eats, I know hes a spearer but beyond in the generalzation of "fish" I don't know what to feed. He dose not take bine shrimp or any frozen foods I have currently so far. I threw in a blue chromid tonight with no results yet. Any sugestions?

 

[Jacob D]

try offering some silversides?

 

[zero_one]

I don't have any silversides right now (nothing that I curently own eats them), but I'll go get some today if I can. I just woke up and he still has not killed the chromid

 

[zero_one]

I fed about 5 fresh water small guppies and they were eaten in short order, he could not spear them, so he had to grab them (they were very small). Still the chromid is living.

 

[zero_one]

I just witnessed the coolest thing I have ever seen a live form that lives in the see do...


Uncle Rico (The name of my new and super sweet Mantis) Just ate the Chromid before my eyes, and it was quite a site. He speared him and latched the twitching fish inbetween all his front appendegages and proceeded to eat him. The Chromid got a little to close and he very slowly came out and once he was about 6 inches away from the fish he lunged out very very quickly and caught it. I'm am convienced now that this intire mantis tank was well worth the research, time, and money to setup.

 

[zero_one]

New Problem! .... He does not want the head, he threw it out of his burrow. Should I just take it out, leave it in to rott? throw some hermets in to deal with it or what? I'm afraid that if I put inverts in the tank with him he will eventually kill them, I'm pretty sure he could if he wanted to, especailly soft bodies inverts (cleaner shimp for instance). I had a very large hermit in the tank but as soon as a added him 2 nights ago the hermit went into his shell and would not come out at all, fearing death was soon eminatne from being very scared by my girlfriend i put him back in the main tank and hes fine again.

 

[Jacob D]

Might want to use a long siphon hose to grab the head, don't think your spearer would bother small hermits too much, cleaner shrimp might become expensive meal.

Congrats on the mantis

 

[zero_one]

Thanks Mothra, this guy is really cool... never mind about wanting to trade for a peacock....

 

[Uriel]

I used to raise preying mantids (the insect, of course...) long before I was blessed enough to run across Mantis Shrimp. A Mantis will spear an insect (or a mouse,humminbird,lizard...you get the picture, there are some really big mantids out there) and then 'lock down' his spines, folding them down towards the closed position. Then, he eats the cricket(or whatever) like an ear of corn. It was so cool to see a cricket scuttling around, unaware that inches above, green death awaited (They never look up...).
It was even more cool to feed a mantis that I had years ago spiders.
Odd, I just made the mantis shrimp/octo and mantis/spider connection. At least in the form of the two pairs and their ability to munch each other.

Ah, my old mantis Queen Elizabeth (I was 9) loved Black Widows...
In Arizona, there was no shortage of them , I Ican tell you.

-Ron

 

[zero_one]

He has been named uncle Rico, and he nows got a movie.... You will need quicktime 6 or higher I believe to view it.

Right click, "save file as":

 

[Jacob D]

Uncle Rico... haha, how's his throwing arm

I can't wait to get the minibow 5 going for our G. chiragra. The sump is no place for such cool little critters...

 

[zero_one]

Thats right... Neapoleaon.... I'm going to make a moive of him eating too I think.

 

[impur]

Thats an awesome mantis!! I have been wanting one lately. I have been looking into getting the TBS package for my 29 gal and hope i get a mantis in there!!

I hear what your saying about Symbiosis. Lots of nice corals in there!! I'm gonna buy a skimmer from him for my 29, he gets em for a good price.