New peacock mantis and it's a male!

[EI Gringo]

Just received a wonderfully healthy male odontodactylus scyllarus. Bright green colouration, all appendages in tact and only a couple of orange dots on his shell and is about 4-5 inches

I acclimatised him and introduced him along with a small red tail filefish to my fish only/ semi aggressive tank (he has a pvc burrow and is under low energy LED lighting in a 120L aquarium).

He quickly dived into his burrow, ousting the big damsel, and began barracading his entrances within minutes, by the end of the night he was fully leaving his burrow looking for rubble to stop those pesky damsels (which I got for free having been reef tank bullies to help subdue him somewhat) from going in at the other end.

He has eaten snails and not shown any aggression of note towards his tankmates.

I have him with;
6 mollies (fodder :L)
3 damsels to help balance the aggression out
1 blue spot Toby puffer
1 red tail filefish
1 pyjama cardinal

I will add photos when I can

 

[EI Gringo]

Here he is

 

[nmotz]

Very cool, will be interesting to see how things turn out with all of those tank-mates alongside him.

 

[Hadla]

I wouldn't risk a puffer with a mantis, but that's cause I love puffers.

 

[EI Gringo]

It's only a jewel puffer and I got him fairly cheap, he's about 2-3 inches. I'd be gutted if he suddenly decided to massacre the short nose Toby but given their behaviour so far I find it quite unlikely, I had them feeding from the same skewer yesterday and the peacock wasn't bothered at all, fingers crossed the mantis recognises that the puffer will be harder work to eat than the damsels or mollies, likewise for the filefish too. That's the theory any way but without testing a theory, who can disprove it?

 

[Han Solo]

Where did you find a male? I've been looking for a male because I hear they are a bit more interactive and much greener! Thanks.

 

[EI Gringo]

I would vouch for those attributes too. I got him from a wholesaler and had no idea it was a male

 

[Han Solo]

Nice pictures! I used to have one but she was no where as green. Was it bought online?> Which wholesaler if you don't mind me asking?

 

[j_mazzy]

I love this guy. When i first entered the hobby these were dreaded. Now I see people who dedicate whole systems to them. Very nice.

 

[EI Gringo]

Company called TMC in England, not online and don't deal straight to customers but can be reached through client stores.

 

[Kharn]

Fingers Crossed all goes well for you and I don't want to come off as a bad guy.

- Male O.scyllarus shouldn't be obtained due to dwindling numbers in the wild.
- Male O.scyllarus are EXCEPTIONALLY more prone to shell rot then females something that isn't fully understood.

These are both Dr.Caldwell quotes.

But best of luck

 

[EI Gringo]

Hopefully my exceptional water quality and low wattage LED lighting will help to prevent she'll rot in him

 

[Han Solo]

Kharn and Gringo,

I know for shell rot, that a UV filter will at least help a bit. Just a tip of what I have heard.

Kharn, do O scyllarus breed yet in captivity?

 

[Kharn]

Kharn and Gringo,

I know for shell rot, that a UV filter will at least help a bit. Just a tip of what I have heard.

Kharn, do O scyllarus breed yet in captivity?

One of the things Dr.Caldwell did with Male Peacocks is keep them in smaller tanks with large UV sterilizers so the smaller water volume is being "nuked" more often then a larger water volume.

But it was my understanding that males in general are on the decline in the wild and shouldn't be collected for that purpose (before their shell rot issues).

O.scyllarus have not been raised in captivity from 'egg' to 'adult', its 'easy' to get mantis shrimp to "breed" raising the young is something else entirely.