My Ultimate Multi Mantis System(s)

A few more pics I got of Rocky this evening, he is still yet to discover the insides of the DIY tunnel. But he has been wandering out a lot from his spot browsing around the tank curiously, he just hasn't looked in the rite spots yet for the entrances =P






More to come as he discovers more =)
 
A rather interesting and I hope not lethal... situation has occurred between my other 2 G.graphurus, Maximus & Minnie.

As most of you followers may know these 2 smashers have been living 'happily' together in the same confines for nearly a year in my care and too my knowledge they were with there prior owner for much longer (can't remember how many years he said he had them in his care for).

Either way this is a rare phenom that 2 smashers can co-exist so peacefully with one another (there definitely not forced to fight, I am not trying to 'prove' something). The first sign of fighting and they will be split permanently, basically via 1-2 more sheets of vertical egg crate sheets just not parallel with the other 2 currently in place, the new ones would be angled to prevent any kind of squeeze through opportunities.

Nonetheless here is the current awkward situation...

Maximus has been, evicted xD, yes...the twice her size husband of my female G.graphurus has kicked her vastly larger husband out of his home and taken up residence within for herself, she has even shoved a piece of coral rubble at one entrance for good measure.

He is at the back, she is in his cavity.


Here is Minnie poking her eyes out from the cavity using the coral rubble as a makeshift wall.


And here is Maximus, submitted and essentially just waiting it out :lol2:


I have seen this sort of behavior before but only with copulation, which I have been trying to capture on camera but so far no luck...

More to come!
 
Here is a truly amazing picture, I have never seen something like it before o_O and it's one that shows the true softer side of these so called 'demons', 2 smashers (G.graphurus) both have known each other for years (if not there whole lives) and here they are residing within the same cavity peacefully =) its a rare shot, something truly note worthy in my eyes!

Minnie on Left with Maximus on Right


I am glad I caught it! :lol2:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

EDIT: Couple of clearer pics =)

Again Minnie on Left with Maximus on Right (Maximus is getting 'camera curious' and starts to stretch out towards the lense).


They look good and happy together =D


More to come!
 
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I am always paranoid about them when there in this state together, since either of them has the capabilities of doing large amounts of damage to the other before I can intervene (which I would) but I may not even be here...which is what I fear most.

Point is, it's not a normal thing so it's not something I can really "read up on" or get help on, only go with my gut, nonetheless during these times that they are together and I am present, I am paranoid for there safety and it's always a sort of 'relief' when they part as if to think "ok at least there safe again for a while".

They have just parted ways for the evening, Minnie left the cavity of Maximus and made her way back to her own in the other side of the compartment and with that, I switched the lights off, breathing a sigh of relief :D and shall intern soon tern in for the evening (they do not tend to be active during lights out and stay inside there cavities sometimes blocking an entrance(s)).
 
Steve C said:
I was about to ask how long does this normally last?
Click to expand...

Not normally that long a few hours of cuddling is normal, but it is a nerve wracking few hours, I envision a sort of 'butt-pushing' a lot like sharing a bed and fighting for the blanket =D except in there case its just more space.

Minnie - "Move over! uggh!"
Maximus - "No, You move over!"
Minnie - "Hey I am the girl here!"
Maximus - "And I am more then twice your size..."
Minnie - "Yeah cause you eat all that junk food!"
Maximus - ".......touché..."

The sort of thing I envisioned watching them squeeze in together =)
 
After a month....and 1 day (last seen 26th of July)....

The Leviathan has returned =) of both my spearers he gave me greatest concern, this is the longest time I have ever not seen my spearers and although Morgoth is yet to make himself present, his Antenna have done it for me numerous times, I see them cluster together all pointing straight up like a tiny white bush up from the sand, then they retract and reappear again at random, that just meant he was moving about and doing stuff and gave me comfort knowing he was alive and well.

However The Leviathan didn't give me such hope, not only were Morgoths antenna poking out at random but there was also fresh white sand around his burrow entrance, he was doing things at lights out as the sand was broken by morning/lights on. The Leviathan has algae growing around his burrow a sure sign that he hadn't broken the surface for the whole time period, naw did I see any antenna from him all that made me paranoid.

Until about 15mins ago =) he is the first to completely rise.
 
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In celebration of my The Leviathans return here is my latest movie, Test Movie 9 with again UFC commentating/themed.

1080HD quality so max screen it!
<iframe width="1280" height="720" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/jMd3TstEWTc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Hope you enjoyed liked
 
Love the mixed marshal art statement. Too good.
Hey you’re playing around with fake rock structures and you posted about the Lego stuff figured I would show you a crazy build. It is fresh water but the potential for salt is there as well. Check this out : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LE0fqwR4doA&feature=related . The magical floating rocks is an easier thing to do then people think. Make a rock out of expanding foam (see foam rock back wall) make the rock using your favorite light diffuser sheet. Add a hook to the inside of said rock (plastic), glue another hook to the bottom of the tank (also plastic) using super glue dose work well. Tie a length of clear fishing line with loops on both ends to the height you want the rock to be suspended at. Cover the lower hook with substrate and walwa magically suspended rocks. Now in your case try this with a pvc core add no caves for hiding and your mantis will now learn to live in a flying cave. The sand falls in the background are also easy to make but are tricky taking time to work out the bugs. To make floating rock look right you’ll need to control the flow in the tank as to not blow the thing around like crazy. If you’re not into the floating rock look you could also make these into water mines. See http://www.pinkvengeance.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Underwater-Mines.jpeg

The water mine thing would be a cool set up for a mantis. Just think about a tank you really don’t want to stick your hand into.
 
TundraGuy said:
Love the mixed marshal art statement. Too good.
Hey you're playing around with fake rock structures and you posted about the Lego stuff figured I would show you a crazy build. It is fresh water but the potential for salt is there as well. Check this out : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LE0fqwR4doA&feature=related . The magical floating rocks is an easier thing to do then people think. Make a rock out of expanding foam (see foam rock back wall) make the rock using your favorite light diffuser sheet. Add a hook to the inside of said rock (plastic), glue another hook to the bottom of the tank (also plastic) using super glue dose work well. Tie a length of clear fishing line with loops on both ends to the height you want the rock to be suspended at. Cover the lower hook with substrate and walwa magically suspended rocks. Now in your case try this with a pvc core add no caves for hiding and your mantis will now learn to live in a flying cave. The sand falls in the background are also easy to make but are tricky taking time to work out the bugs. To make floating rock look right you'll need to control the flow in the tank as to not blow the thing around like crazy. If you're not into the floating rock look you could also make these into water mines. See http://www.pinkvengeance.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Underwater-Mines.jpeg

The water mine thing would be a cool set up for a mantis. Just think about a tank you really don't want to stick your hand into.
Click to expand...

It's an interesting thought but rite now I am more incline to stick with my current themes here is a similar ball that you mentioned but for freshwater.

l_7c79068451175354fb2492cc357d846c.jpg


I intend to keep with the PVC and substrate idea just change things up with different shapes and designs, Rocky is yet to take to the insides of the one in his compartment, I added 2-3 small fish net scoop fulls of substrate to the tank in order to hide the bottom PVC.



The crab I added has gone into the tunnel system and seems to enjoy it more then Rocky so far :lol2:
 
whenever I want my mantis to locate anywhere, I simply net it and make sure it goes there. 100% success rate
 
It seems that Minnie now knows the route to get in and out of the side with Maximus residing in quite well, I caught this image of them this evening again snuggling up together.

Minnie Left & Maximus Right


For the hell of it I took a pic of my fav mushie again =) the superman rhodactis! Can't wait to see my tanks riddled with them =D


More to come!
 
Here is a video of my smaller O.scyllarus, I fed him a nice live crab this evening and he really took to it.

<iframe width="1280" height="720" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/YN38VijBQuw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The first slow motion frame shows the precision, it's hard to see but I was trying to detail how he specifically struck one of the two parts of the crabs claw that close and form the pinch, snapping it clean off, leaving the top one still in tack.

The second slow motion is obvious, he smacks that claw rite off the crab.

Hope you enjoy :lol2:
 
Hey Kharn change your sig to read "MY GROWING ARMY OF STOMATOPODS". Sounds more ominous and less street gang-ish. As always just a suggestion.
 
TundraGuy said:
Hey Kharn change your sig to read "MY GROWING ARMY OF STOMATOPODS". Sounds more ominous and less street gang-ish. As always just a suggestion.
Click to expand...

I use the term 'crew' to refer to shipping terms or at sea.

Davy Jones had his crew of monsters and his pet Kraken

Kharn has his crew of monsters and his pet Leviathan =)

I am trying to come up with a character similar to Davy Jones but rather the squid based, I'm trying to make him mantis based =D
 
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