My mantis. :D

[lljdma06]

They had him in a lfs in a tiny little critter container, very angry mantis, no color except for a hint of blue in his smashers. I had been reading about stomatopods for a while, but never really had a small tank that I thought was suitable (ei... a designated reef, or tank was too small, or too big).

Well, enter this tank. It's an 8g that my fiance and I use to grow chaeto and Caulerpa for trading. It had rock work, rubble, and a sand bed. I've had it for some time, it just never had anything in it except ceriths to keep the tank clean.

Nothing fancy, but it offers a lot of shade for mantis due to the macro algae and it's a quiet environment.

So I picked up the mantis. It's, as far as I can tell, a Neogonodactylus curacaoensis. Can still be wrong with the id. A Caribbean species that stays relatively small. If I see that he continues to grow, he can be upgraded to a spare 10g that I have running around, but 8g should suit him fine for now. What is important is that it's a stable tank with good parameters. He's really colored up since I added him.

In the bag...

Acclimating... "I scared, so I put up my shield" I just thought he looked cute.

In his new home...

Some videos...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fjuhM3v418&feature=plcp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMXKhINXZ5o&feature=plcp

Yes, there is a very small hermit crab in that tank. So far, he hasn't touched them. I think they're too big for now. He happily takes mysis and other frozen foods and he knows me already because he no longer scurries away when I approach. I hear him wield his blue battle hammers, but it's mostly for home improvement. A very engaging little animal. Must name him soon.

Finally have a mantis. They've always fascinated me, but I didn't think I could handle an overly large or aggressive species. This one, with it's more gentle demeanor, seems like a good fit. And it's darn pretty! Blue battle hammers are awesome!

Thanks for looking! Glad I took him home. I think they would've tossed him. Everybody seems to freak out when the word "mantis" is spoken...

L

 

[Sh0velman]

Awesome mantis and awesome tank! Keep on rocking the saltwater tanks lljd! Your tanks are an inspiration for all!
Any ideas as to what species you think yours is?

 

[Kharn]

Very nice mantis I like the red color types to me they stand out the most is it an N.wenneae ?

Most LFS will just feed it to a predator in store if it isn't purchased.

Really nice tank setup too, must be a very healthy small tank =) all that algae just gulping down nasty things, if there is one thing most small tanks lack it is stability and unless you do something like this (algae) or use a lot of equipment...the outcome is often not good but I love this little algae filled tank =D someone else has a "G.viridis algae garden tank" to, that is another really smart move!

I learned so much from my "small/nano tank"...

 

[sail33]

If I were a mantis shrimp, I'd be happy to live there.

 

[lljdma06]

Thanks everybody. My guess is that it's not N. wennerae, but rather N. curacaoensis. It has very distinctive blue hammers as I call them, the small white dots, & orange eye stalks.

By the way, I've just acquired a N. wennerae. Very interesting. I have an old Biocube that I never took down. I'll put him there with some polyps & rocks as his playground until I find him a nicer home.

L

 

[Kharn]

Well if it is a N.curacaoensis I wish you the best of luck with it =) from what I read which you would know, their not the 'easiest' little smasher to maintain requiring abnormal parameter care in comparison to others the same size, having said that your tank setup should be perfect all that algae should keep things stable really well.

 

[Fretfreak13]

Love that tank. The chaeto in the middle is like a burrow afro! haha

 

[lljdma06]

Yes, I've read that N. curacaoensis is tougher to keep. Roy comments on a thread concerning one at RC. He stated that those he has kept didn't last longer than a year. Well, if he does prove short-lived, at least it was in a system dedicated to his proper care & not as some predatory fish's lunch at the LFS.

I hear, N. wennerae is much more forgiving. For now, that one will go into my Biocube. I may change that later. I've acquired a band of adorable little pests now (teddy bear crabs & a coral eating fire worm) & I have to sort out where I want to keep them ultimately. Right now, that group lives in a Spec dedicated to pests. I'd to eventually move the wennerae to the Spec. I already keep an nps Spec, so maintaining top water quality isn't an issue.

L

 

[lljdma06]

Of course, if I move the wennerae to the pest Spec, I'd move the other guys out into the Biocube. Eventually, they'll become sump/refugium beasts.

L

 

[Gonodactylus]

It is indeed a Neogonodactylus curacaoensis.

Roy

 

[ValleyDude]

That's cool. He looks awesome.

 

[lljdma06]

It is indeed a Neogonodactylus curacaoensis.

Roy

Thanks Roy on the id confirmation. I read a thread on one that you posted in a while back. From what you wrote, I garner that they are rather short lived. Anything I can do to ensure that he is comfortable (ei, keys to feeding, etc). I know my tank will be very clean and stable because of the macro algae, but any tricks would be great.

That's cool. He looks awesome.

He is pretty and a little delight. So different from any other invertebrate I've kept. Very inquisitive. Knows me already.

L

 

[Mysterion]

Of the Curacaoensis and Wennerae I've owned I much favored the Curacaoensis. The Curacaoensis seemed just as hardy as the Wennerae with a hob filter and lots of macro. It was much more active suprisingly than the Wennerae. But I could never keep a fish with it. The little devil just always wanted to be king/queen of its cage. Had both for about two yrs before having to give them up joining the military. You are really going to enjoy that beautiful mantis, I would love to get another Curacaoensis.

 

[lljdma06]

Of the Curacaoensis and Wennerae I've owned I much favored the Curacaoensis. The Curacaoensis seemed just as hardy as the Wennerae with a hob filter and lots of macro. It was much more active suprisingly than the Wennerae. But I could never keep a fish with it. The little devil just always wanted to be king/queen of its cage. Had both for about two yrs before having to give them up joining the military. You are really going to enjoy that beautiful mantis, I would love to get another Curacaoensis.

Ok, fill me in, "king/queen of its cage?" LOL, this isn't a very large mantis. My curacaoensis is about 3.2cm I think. The wennerae I have is smaller, about 2.8 or so. Both are small. I did notice that my wennerae is more secretive, but I don't see him as often. He lives in the Biocube at my mother's house. On the other hand the curacaoensis sees me every day, and already knows the baster that gives him/her shrimp. I'd like to move the wennerae over to my fiance's place, so I can interact with him/her more.

My curacaoensis is being cute right now, he's probably attacking a small hermit I have there, or cleaning house. I give him a small blue legged hermit, but he also takes mysis, and kills small snails.

What did you feed yours?

L

 

[lljdma06]

Meh, my fiance's female tomato clownfish was being a demon to her mate and he had to relocate her to the tank where I'm keeping the mantis.

For now, I've moved him to a Fluval Spec that I orginally had for pests. I added more rock, caulerpa, and chaeto to it, did a nice big water change, and moved the mobile pests out. kept the aiptasia and majanos. The N. curacaoensis is acclimating now. Hopefully, he'll be ok. It isn't ideal right now, but I really didn't want to take a chance with the tomato. Probably nothing would've come of it, but you never know. At least I can watch him better and feed him easier.

L

 

[Mysterion]

I meant it wanted to be alone. It ate a clown goby and a damsel two different times. Yet the Wennerae lived with a pink damsel the whole time I had it. I had been raising nano conchs for it as food. Also frozen mysis shrimp, cyclopeeze gel, or shrimp pellets dipped in vitachem. Definately not picky.

 

[lljdma06]

I meant it wanted to be alone. It ate a clown goby and a damsel two different times. Yet the Wennerae lived with a pink damsel the whole time I had it. I had been raising nano conchs for it as food. Also frozen mysis shrimp, cyclopeeze gel, or shrimp pellets dipped in vitachem. Definately not picky.

Mine kind of is. He doesn't like mysis, or at least, he didn't like mysis yesterday. Would grab it, then toss back out. I will try pellets soaked in vitamins. He's eaten very small blue-legged hermits and dwarf ceriths.

He's responding to the tank change pretty well. I imagine he'll sulk for a few more days, then resume his activities. He's taken to sealing his "shell" at night as I've provided him with many small bits of rock rubble that he can move about on his own.

I'll need to get him some small blue legs today or tomorrow. Some of the LFS sell them very small and they usually just give me the really tiny ones.

I'll snap some pictures of the new setup today. It's not as big, but I think it works well too.

L

 

[Steve C]

The tank and shrimp look amazing

 

[lljdma06]

Thank you. He never came out today & has sealed himself in his shell, so I suspect that a molt may be in his near future. Hope he pull through ok. I got the hermits & they are available to him should he want to eat when he's ready. He's seems to have eaten well prior. We'll see.

L
PS: there is a third mantis. I suspect another Caribbean species. This one was also twice the size of the other two & a nice green, but I haven't seen his meral spots yet. Blue on the tail. My guess is that it's a wennerae that, because it was at a LFS's coral display tank, has already molted to a green.

 

[lljdma06]

Ok, he came out today and took a hearty meal of frozen omnivore diet. It's what I sometimes feed my dendros as it has some nice chunks of meat. I didn't want to disturb him in his new tank for a bit. I'm not sure if he molted or not, but he seems more interested in his surroundings today and I think gets a kick out of the rubble rocks. Still, lives in his little snail shell, but I do think he's bigger.

Near his lair. Yep, a bunch of pest aiptasia and majanos. I think it looks great. Caulerpa and chaeto for nutrient export.

majanos and zoas

He's peeking. I'm thinking Lejay Lagoute would be a cute name for him.

full tank shot.

And finally, for fun, I have two Specs

And some video...

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/pmBzH99SIHo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Thanks for looking.