Molt question.

[Hetfield6j]

I just got a smithii about four days ago. After i acclimated him and put him in the tank he went straight for a rock to hide in. He only came out two times that first day, mostly to dig around in the sand. I could see him move now and then through a hole in his rock, but thats all i saw of him for a few days. Today i noticed a Nas.snail going towards the entrance he uses in the rock and thought "Wow this should be interesting". I take a look and to my horror is see the snail eating him. Talk about revenge. Anyways, just the front head and arms are sticking out of the hole, and im trying to convince myself that it may just be a molt and he is up in the rock somewhere. The only way i can get the "Body" would be to move the peice of LR, and i dont want to do that incase i am interupting a molt. Is there any way to tell a shedded molt from the front side? I am pulling my hair out trying to figure out what could have went wrong if he indead died. I have a good amount of snails, hermits, corals in there and they are all doing fine. The Frogspawn actually just started another head. Anyone have any pics of a molted shell?

 

[DanInSD]

The molt shell will look very obviously molt-like. Chances are small that you would mistake it for the actual animal. Does the "molt" have eyes?

Mantis are remarkably susceptible to all kinds of toxins. I had a tank that grew corals, snails, and hermits, but was pure death to all mantis (killed three, including two peacocks, within 24 hours of addition). I had to bite the bullet and start over. I dumped my rock, substrate, heater, powerheads, everything. In the end, I suspect a bad heater, leaching trace amounts of metals into the water.

In the end, the new tank was fine, and I have a happy, healthy peacock to prove it.

Good luck,
Dan

 

[helipilot]

Have you tested your water for ammonia? You will get a low reading for discarded molt but a lot higher reading for a dead mantis. Good luck.

 

[Hetfield6j]

Ya, mantis was dead All my tests come out ok, though i dont have any tests kits for metal. Did a 60% water change yesterday. I'm going to see if i can locate a test kit for metals, but if thats not it anyone have any idea's? Is there any other inverts that i could maybe test the tank with before i try another mantis?

 

[DanInSD]

The only thing that I had trouble growing in the old tank (that killed mantis) that thrive in the new tank is Xenia. It's perhaps one of the most sensitive common soft corals. Might be worth a shot?

If a second one dies similarly, prepare for a complete tear-down.

Dan