my peacock has eggs....

[blackthunda77]

ok so i just got this peacock from a fellow refer last week and today i walked in and i see what seems to be a clutch of eggs in grasp. Ive never experienced this before.. ill post pics later tonight.....my question is, what do i do now?? do they usually lay un fertilized eggs?? can i feed it(her) while it has the eggs?

 

[blackthunda77]

anyone? my main question is if mantids lay eggs regularly, even when not fertile?

 

[Gonodactylus]

If the female has molted since she mated, the eggs will be infertile and she will eat them in about a week. They can store sperm for a few months if they don't molt, so the eggs may be fertile. If so, they will hatch in about three weeks and the larvae will stay in the female's burrow for another 4 or five days. Then they will become photopositive swim towards light and enter the plankton where they will die in about 2-3 days due to a lack of appropriate food (if the pumps and powerheads don't get them first.).

Roy

 

[blackthunda77]

hmmm, ok. well fro my knowledge, the person i got it from had it kept in a tank with a couple other fish, but no other mantids, so thats why im a bit confused. i guess ill contact him to see.