mantis with eggs??

[moseynme]

Hi all! Am in need of educating, again!

I received my TBS on 5/15, the next day, I noticed a rather small mantis - not quite an inch. Have had an eye on it several times a day, but just noticed for the first time yesterday what looks like a small cluster of red eggs hanging off of it...this wasn't there before.

Are they really eggs? If so, how long do I have 'til the bomb drops?

I have the bottle ready for the trap, but am unsure of what to bait with. I have some pre-cooked frozen shrimp in the freezer - I would be willing to share my dinner with this critter if it would work???

Thanks in advance for help!

 

[liverock]

Re: mantis with eggs??

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9989143#post9989143 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by moseynme
Hi all! Am in need of educating, again!

I received my TBS on 5/15, the next day, I noticed a rather small mantis - not quite an inch. Have had an eye on it several times a day, but just noticed for the first time yesterday what looks like a small cluster of red eggs hanging off of it...this wasn't there before.

Are they really eggs? If so, how long do I have 'til the bomb drops?

I have the bottle ready for the trap, but am unsure of what to bait with. I have some pre-cooked frozen shrimp in the freezer - I would be willing to share my dinner with this critter if it would work???

Thanks in advance for help!

mantis hold their eggs in their mouth..and that is very small to be having eggs....pistol shrimp do have eggs on their belly...

Richard TBS

 

[moseynme]

Hey there, Richard! Sorry you had to cancel your Keys trip!

This is definitely a mantis! It's watching me as much as I'm watching it! Must have been an optical illusion...but am glad to know it wasn't a big 'ol batch of babies!

I have my trap ready and know just where to put it, but any tips on fool-proof bait would be appreciated!

Thanks for all your help....

 

[Untamed12]

There's no chance that the mantis could reproduce in your tank, so don't worry about that.

 

[Tobman]

I've got a large one in my tank. 2+ inches. He's actuall really cool looking and seems to cohabitate with everyone well. About the only thing he seems to do is eat some snails or hermits, but they are easy and cheap to replace. So you might want to wait on trapping him until you've gotten used to him (her?) and see if he gets along well with the others.

I hand feed mine 1-2 times per week, frozen shrimp, silversides. He readily eats from my hand (with tongs and a glove of course).

I've tried several times to trap him with commercial traps to no avail.

Have you had any luck? If so, what worked?

 

[moseynme]

Hi there, Tobman!

Haven't tried the trap yet, but got him some silversides today...couldn't help myself He's very green and we play games together. He's very interactive - I have a little LED pointer he likes to mess around with and he really seems to like playing hide & seek. I hide...he seeks!

I wouldn't mind trying a mantis tank some day, but just don't think I know enough yet. Someday, tho....!

When I do catch the little beastie, I will let you know how it goes...

 

[saltwater4life1]

ahh he sounds awesome i wish i was close enough i would come take him off your hands

 

[JCote]

Hi Tobman,
When you feed your mantis, how much food do you give it in a feeding? Mine is about 1.5-2" long and I've been feeding about a BB sized piece of frozen shrimp or scallop once or twice a week. He practically jumps out of the tank when I feed so I'm wondering if he's getting enough but don't want to overfeed.
Thanks,
John

 

[Pea-brain]

recommended amount of food is usually about half the size of the mantis once every 2-3 day. If it is eating snails and hermits it should be no problem, but if you want him to lay off them a bit sligtly larger or more often feedings will help. I wouldn't recommend cooked shrimp. They can bekept in tanks as small as five gallons for an adult (about 3") and will readily take frozen foods. They should be fed at least once a month with hard shelled foods for exercise. They only need a small layer of sand, a rock big enough to make a burrow in, a powerhead for movemet, some rubble to close door for molts, and stable temps. A heater may be needed, but be careful with glass heaters because they might strike the heater when the light comes on, breaking the heater, and killing the mantis with leached heavy metals. And don't worry about a common floridian mantis N. wennerae (or any mantis under 4") breaking tank glass. They aren't strong enough

Dan