New Mantis ID needed...

[polymorphus]

Say hello to my lil friend...

ID anyone?

- g

 

[white_queen]

Don't know what species but he is BEAUTIFUL!!!

Angela <><

 

[reefer20G]

Poly, sorry cannot give you an ID. But when and where did you get him/her? And how big is it?

Looks beautiful.

Jason

 

[majestic sea life]

sorry im not sure nice pics by the way

 

[mantisshrimp]

G. smithi

 

[Gonodactylus]

This is a male Gonodactylaceus ternatensis. It is a species fairly common in Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. I recently collected one in northern Australia. They are live coral specialists and usually are found living in cavities that they chip out in very branchy coral heads. The largest individual of this species that I have seen was a 12 cm male making it the largest gonodactylid recorded. Females have yellow antennal scales while those of males are blue. Both sexes have the characteristic yellow meral spot (sometimes more orange) and the red intersegmental bands.

Roy

 

[polymorphus]

He is pretty cool . Any suggestions on a tank layout for this guy? He is around 8cm long and has rejected all but live food. Will he eventually go hungry and eat the frozen food if I stop stocking the tank with it?

- g

 

[Gonodactylus]

The most natural home for him would be in a branching coral head. If he didn't build a home in the center of the head , he would probably live under it. However, the head would have to be fairly large - probably 10-12 inches across, and he would damage it. They will live in pvc pipe as well. This species will tolerate bright, broad spectrum light since it occurs in shallow water. However, it also seems prone to shell disease, so watch your water quality.

Mine take a variety of food and do well on chucnks of frozen raw prawns (including the cuticle). An 8 cm animal shoud get a 1/4 inch cube at least three or four times a week,

 

[polymorphus]

I put a PVC pipe into his tank but he abandend it two days ago and has since taken up refuge under a rock pile. Should I attempt to get him back into the PVC or has he choosen where he feels most comfortable and I should let him be?

 

[Gonodactylus]

Let him be. I would add some coral rubble fragments and branches that he can use to modify his cavity. I had one that lived in a a large shell for a couple of years.

 

[DensityMan]

He's a real beaty!

Good to finally see an image of the mantis my G. smithii mimics...