Peacock mantis shrimp died, don't know cause
- Thread starter Cimmerians
- Start date
Calappidae
Harlequin Shrimp
And don't be afraid of admitting to a silly over looked simple mistake no one here will bash you for it and if they do then they do not deserve to be here, we learn more from our mistakes then our success...
^this
One thing about this hobby is you're never going to just jump into it, and have success from the start. You're guarenteed a trail and go through error.. after you've learned your lesson you'll know the mistake and (hopefully) never repeat it again.
I still cringe thinking about how my first O. scyllarus turned out and everybody bashed me like an outlaw, despite my lack of knowledge in general at the time.
Cimmerians
New member
Peacock mantis shrimp died, don't know cause
Thanks everyone, I'm planning on keeping mainly mantis shrimps (but never more than one at a time) for a long time but I've never dealt with the species before. In terms of tank info, I have nano cube filteration, LED lighting, 10 gal tank, shallow sand with tons of rocks ( but his beginning tank was tons of sand with little rocks), I've been feeding (or at least trying) him mostly shrimp kept frozen, but served to him thawed and on a stick. During his stay, the amnonia and nitrite levels were always 0 ppm but a nitrate level at a horrible 160ppm (or around that level) that never went down no matter how many water changes I did. Any contributing info that might be important to include is the fact that it's a mature tank, which use to be a reef before I moved it all to a 24gal tank to give the 10gal to my mantis. My shrimp seemed docile at first, but towards the end of his stay with me he was easily agitated, always punching his feeding stick or punching his rocks if I scooted the tank a bit. If any more info is needed please ask, I want to make sure I could provide my next mantis with the best possible conditions I could give it
Thanks everyone, I'm planning on keeping mainly mantis shrimps (but never more than one at a time) for a long time but I've never dealt with the species before. In terms of tank info, I have nano cube filteration, LED lighting, 10 gal tank, shallow sand with tons of rocks ( but his beginning tank was tons of sand with little rocks), I've been feeding (or at least trying) him mostly shrimp kept frozen, but served to him thawed and on a stick. During his stay, the amnonia and nitrite levels were always 0 ppm but a nitrate level at a horrible 160ppm (or around that level) that never went down no matter how many water changes I did. Any contributing info that might be important to include is the fact that it's a mature tank, which use to be a reef before I moved it all to a 24gal tank to give the 10gal to my mantis. My shrimp seemed docile at first, but towards the end of his stay with me he was easily agitated, always punching his feeding stick or punching his rocks if I scooted the tank a bit. If any more info is needed please ask, I want to make sure I could provide my next mantis with the best possible conditions I could give it
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Cimmerians
New member
Cimmerians
New member
Not sure if it's needed or if anyone wants to see, but I also have a picture of my shrimp dead that I took in case it would help solve the mystery
Calappidae
Harlequin Shrimp
Yeah that burrow isn't very good.. I suggest getting some PVC pipe and building your rockwork around it.
However there is something else more concerning....
I think you have a G. chiragra, not an O. scyllarus. Those eyes are not beady and it's extremely thin for an Odontodactylus. If you show us the body we may be able to identify what it is properly, but it is 100% not an odontodactylus. That lighting messes up the one giveaway which would be dactyl color.
Dump some of this in there, it'll help stabilize the nitrates and keep them at a constant low level. You can use the whole bottle if you need to even, no such thing as overdosing with this stuff.
To clearify what it is, it's nitrifying bacteria.. the stuff we cycle our tanks to develop in our filteration. Dumping this in almost instantly cycles an aquarium.
I dumped about 200g worth in my 125 gallon, fish were in next day and I never once had an issue with ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate.
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthropoda/crustacea/malacostraca/eumalacostraca/royslist/
However there is something else more concerning....
I think you have a G. chiragra, not an O. scyllarus. Those eyes are not beady and it's extremely thin for an Odontodactylus. If you show us the body we may be able to identify what it is properly, but it is 100% not an odontodactylus. That lighting messes up the one giveaway which would be dactyl color.
Dump some of this in there, it'll help stabilize the nitrates and keep them at a constant low level. You can use the whole bottle if you need to even, no such thing as overdosing with this stuff.
To clearify what it is, it's nitrifying bacteria.. the stuff we cycle our tanks to develop in our filteration. Dumping this in almost instantly cycles an aquarium.
I dumped about 200g worth in my 125 gallon, fish were in next day and I never once had an issue with ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate.
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthropoda/crustacea/malacostraca/eumalacostraca/royslist/
Cimmerians
New member
Wait really?? I was told it was a peacock mantis shrimp. Here I'll post almost all clear pictures I have of it
(okay this one is not really clear but better lighting, it was during the tank move)
body in his cave
overview size
trying to dig when I first got him
and lastly, the body taken out of the water and laid on a towel
Calappidae
Harlequin Shrimp
Yep that's Gonodactylus Chiragra, not a peacock (O. scyllarus)
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthro...costraca/royslist/species.php?name=g_chiragra
#1 life lesson to mantis shrimp, LFS and online suppliers who get their IDs correct are one in a million.. seriously it's sad how many LFS label the wrong species of stomatopod as peacocks.. even if it's extremely obvious that it's not one.
Anyway, that burrow is definitly not suitable, you can clearly see the stomatopod in it, which is a bad thing. This means the burrow isn't dark enough for the animal. It is very exposed and the burrow doesn't have a narrow passage for it to cling too and rotate with ease. Again, I would seriously consider PVC.
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthro...costraca/royslist/species.php?name=g_chiragra
#1 life lesson to mantis shrimp, LFS and online suppliers who get their IDs correct are one in a million.. seriously it's sad how many LFS label the wrong species of stomatopod as peacocks.. even if it's extremely obvious that it's not one.
Anyway, that burrow is definitly not suitable, you can clearly see the stomatopod in it, which is a bad thing. This means the burrow isn't dark enough for the animal. It is very exposed and the burrow doesn't have a narrow passage for it to cling too and rotate with ease. Again, I would seriously consider PVC.
Cimmerians
New member
My, and this whole time I was thinking I had a peacock. Do you happen to know of any way to make sure a mantis shrimp is a peacock? Also, I was mildly considering getting a slasher this time around, And I was doing some research into zebras (Lysiosquillina maculata). Heard they like nice deep sand burrows, but would the PVC pipe work well with them as well?
Cimmerians
New member
Peacock mantis shrimp died, don't know cause
This might be a bad question, but I also thought if the fin like things by its head were an orangish color, and if it's skin was green, it was a peacock. Not true though, right?
This might be a bad question, but I also thought if the fin like things by its head were an orangish color, and if it's skin was green, it was a peacock. Not true though, right?
Calappidae
Harlequin Shrimp
Not necessarly true, O. scyllarus can have a redish ton to their body color. It depends on where the specimen was born, deeper usually means reder. Most we see are green in coloration due to being higher and easier to collect.
Alot of stomatopods have Orange/yellow antennal scales, however one thing that distinguishes O. scyllarus's from the others, is that the bottom side of the antennal scales are green (like you see in your avatar) and the top half is yellow.
Notice the vibrant yellow markings from the top view in comparison to the green markings on the lower view in your avatar.
Also the Black half of the antennal scale seperates it from O. havanensis, which only has a red dot, and a pink half.
O havanensis: (Don't confuse these for an O. scyllarus! They look almost exactly like them too!)
Another characteristic that I don't think any other species, Odontodactylus or not, has is the black, flourecent blue outlined, telson "fins".
Most gonodactylids (like G. chiragra) and neogonodactylids have single colored more "feathery" like "fins".
G. Glabrous Telson: (Lacks the middle tooth on the upper telson which distinguishes it from G. graphurus, an otherwise twin.)
Alot of stomatopods have Orange/yellow antennal scales, however one thing that distinguishes O. scyllarus's from the others, is that the bottom side of the antennal scales are green (like you see in your avatar) and the top half is yellow.
Notice the vibrant yellow markings from the top view in comparison to the green markings on the lower view in your avatar.
Also the Black half of the antennal scale seperates it from O. havanensis, which only has a red dot, and a pink half.
O havanensis: (Don't confuse these for an O. scyllarus! They look almost exactly like them too!)
Another characteristic that I don't think any other species, Odontodactylus or not, has is the black, flourecent blue outlined, telson "fins".
Most gonodactylids (like G. chiragra) and neogonodactylids have single colored more "feathery" like "fins".
G. Glabrous Telson: (Lacks the middle tooth on the upper telson which distinguishes it from G. graphurus, an otherwise twin.)
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Yeah that's a chiragra all day round 
as soon as I saw the first picture you posted. the first thing you must find out in this hobby, specifically stomatopods that is, the "professionals" are just guessing and they'll either call a mantis a peacock or a zebra. I've seen lysiosquillidae labelled as gonodactylus, gonodactylus as peacock, pseudosquillids as peacocks, anything else named "common" mantis... You need to post a picture on here if you want a proper ID, many of us can identify the majority of mantis but there's Kharn and Roy will almost always get you an answer.
as soon as I saw the first picture you posted. the first thing you must find out in this hobby, specifically stomatopods that is, the "professionals" are just guessing and they'll either call a mantis a peacock or a zebra. I've seen lysiosquillidae labelled as gonodactylus, gonodactylus as peacock, pseudosquillids as peacocks, anything else named "common" mantis... You need to post a picture on here if you want a proper ID, many of us can identify the majority of mantis but there's Kharn and Roy will almost always get you an answer.
Cimmerians
New member
There's way more I need to learn about mantis shrimps than I originally thought, as I tried to do as much research as possible before getting what I though was a peacock. Since everyone on here seems to be true experts on this, do you guys think I should try and get another peacock (or at the very least a smasher that looks very similar, as I've proved to be a poor mantis shrimp identifier) or a zebra? I know either one will need a complete tank makeover, as I'll probably have to stack my tank up with sand for a zebra or buy a PVC pipe for a peacock. Also, if anyone happens to know, is there an estimate percent on how many mantis shrimps are falsely labeled as peacocks?
Calappidae
Harlequin Shrimp
If you know how to properly ID them you can refrain from purchasing it until the LFS gets it right. Vocal minority is the main reasoning behind LFS's lack of education.
The most common species to get falsely labeled as O. scyllarus is G. ternatensis, which is actually destructive to reefs when collected due to them living in live branching corals, and the coral being smashed inorder to get them. Please do not purchase, we refrain from talking about them unless it's for identifaction purposes or awaring others of their origin.
You can find details on identifying G. ternatensis here. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to tell the difference as long as you know what you're looking for. Most notably the red segmental bands and orange meral spots on the dactyls.
You can try either species, O. scyllarus or L. maculata (zebra), however.. you're flat out going to need an upgrade. For one, any biocube is way too small for an O. scyllarus or L. maculata..
O. scyllarus shouldn't be kept in anything smaller than a 40g breeder (dimenstion wise, if you can find a 36x12 surface area, that'll work too).
L. maculata doesn't have a necesarry tank size.. however they need a veritcle sandbed 1.5 times the length of the animal... which at full grown, is a 22.5 inch tall sandbed.. you can use PVC for that too, however they still need a sandbed to close their burrow up with, not to mention upgrading the PVC as they age can be annoying, especially when it's not a requirement. You're just going to need a really really tall tank to say the least.. I've been eyeing on a 15 gallon tall column tank I've been waiting to go on sale for then I decided to have a go with one, should be large enough.
In regards to how many LFS get it wrong, it varies. If yours is dumb enough to confuse G. chiragra for O. scyllarus then they'll probably get it wrong 100% of the time... it's a matter of what they recieve from their suppliers.
Usually LFS just slap the word peacock on any mantis shrimp they get in.. even if they're aware it's not the same thing as O. scyllarus.
But of course there is always the option of having a smaller species rather than either two. There is alot of variety in stomatopods for hobbyiest.
As far as research goes, skin through some of the more recent threads of this forum and be sure to read through roy's list, he the world's top stomatopodologist (is that a word?) and wrote all the identifaction information and housing requires in his list.
The most common species to get falsely labeled as O. scyllarus is G. ternatensis, which is actually destructive to reefs when collected due to them living in live branching corals, and the coral being smashed inorder to get them. Please do not purchase, we refrain from talking about them unless it's for identifaction purposes or awaring others of their origin.
You can find details on identifying G. ternatensis here. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to tell the difference as long as you know what you're looking for. Most notably the red segmental bands and orange meral spots on the dactyls.
You can try either species, O. scyllarus or L. maculata (zebra), however.. you're flat out going to need an upgrade. For one, any biocube is way too small for an O. scyllarus or L. maculata..
O. scyllarus shouldn't be kept in anything smaller than a 40g breeder (dimenstion wise, if you can find a 36x12 surface area, that'll work too).
L. maculata doesn't have a necesarry tank size.. however they need a veritcle sandbed 1.5 times the length of the animal... which at full grown, is a 22.5 inch tall sandbed.. you can use PVC for that too, however they still need a sandbed to close their burrow up with, not to mention upgrading the PVC as they age can be annoying, especially when it's not a requirement. You're just going to need a really really tall tank to say the least.. I've been eyeing on a 15 gallon tall column tank I've been waiting to go on sale for then I decided to have a go with one, should be large enough.
In regards to how many LFS get it wrong, it varies. If yours is dumb enough to confuse G. chiragra for O. scyllarus then they'll probably get it wrong 100% of the time... it's a matter of what they recieve from their suppliers.
Usually LFS just slap the word peacock on any mantis shrimp they get in.. even if they're aware it's not the same thing as O. scyllarus.
But of course there is always the option of having a smaller species rather than either two. There is alot of variety in stomatopods for hobbyiest.
As far as research goes, skin through some of the more recent threads of this forum and be sure to read through roy's list, he the world's top stomatopodologist (is that a word?) and wrote all the identifaction information and housing requires in his list.
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Calappidae
Harlequin Shrimp
Kharn, which photo was yours? I do not take credit for any photos I use in my post, rather I use what I find pubicly posted, particularly what comes up in a random search.
I have PM'd members prior to using their photos posted on the thread (I've gotten islandoftiki's permission to use his "boy parts" image for example). However in this case I have no clear identifaction of their original owners (other than some which are obviously roy's like the O. havanensis.). I apologize if there's a mixup here, however I am indeed not intentionally causing an infringement with copyright (or abusing free use of copyright).
I will PM a moderator to edit any photos of yours I used in my post that you would like taken down, I'm not that kind of guy. Just clearfy which one it is as I'm not sure.
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Kharn
MANTISMAN
What would be polite is to link the website if you don't know who the photo was taken by (copy and paste).
The first photo in that post is in fact mine.
But this goes for ALL photos you take from anywhere (and videos) always link the source above or below the photo directly and if you know who owns it then give them credit else things can turn bad fast cause I know I am becoming a lot more protective of my work which also means I will hunt down those that take my images/videos without my permission and punish "heavily" (specifically if their profiting somehow, then I will show no mercy...).
Food for thought.
Calappidae
Harlequin Shrimp
Wouldn't pressing quote and looking at the URL inside the image tags ensensitionally be the samething though? Linking these things isn't exactly the solution since the only property I get is the URL to the image itself, rather than saving it.. uploading it on a image format creater (like imgur) and then throwing the link willy nilly with 0 methods of backtracking.
The way I encounter these photos is Google search->Images->click on photo->properdies show up, and nothing else including the site or article it was originally posted on.
However I'll try to be more cautious of which photos I pick, I'm fairly certain which are and aren't roy's, and islandoftiki's to a lesser extent however yours I'm not entirely sure, especially since in your thread half your images were deleted and the only ones I'm aware of is the newer ones of the last system.
If there is ever and issue just PM me and I'll resolve it.
Kharn
MANTISMAN
There is always something you can put above or below the photo as the source regardless of where you found it and regardless of how you personally perceive it....it will always be POLITE to put the source & if possible credit the person who owns/made the photo/video.
Every single photo/video has a source whether it the web address or the original owners trademark/signature/name etc.
Fore example.
"Roy's List of Stomatopods for the Home Aquarium" - http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthro...malacostraca/royslist/images/o_scyllarus2.jpg
Every single photo/video has a source whether it the web address or the original owners trademark/signature/name etc.
Fore example.
"Roy's List of Stomatopods for the Home Aquarium" - http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthro...malacostraca/royslist/images/o_scyllarus2.jpg
The word is stomatopodiatrist btw like I've said, you can never rely on supplier IDs, get a picture before it comes or when it arrives and post it on here, there are hundreds of species of stomatopods and because of their generic labels (gonodactylus or squilla species) and their common availability as hitchhikers you literally could end up with any species. Even the experts on here don't always get it right and I certainly don't claim to be one :L as for ternatensis... Touchy subject that one... If you order a peacock and a terny turns up there isn't much you can do about it but you should never persue one because you are supporting the demand of them which is frowned upon. If one ends up accidentally at your lfs then the damage is done to the corals already and you're only adding to the supply of peacocks but inform your LFS that their supplier is causing environmental damage and that they should be inspected, I would also then avoid that supplier for the peacock if you still want one.
like I've said, you can never rely on supplier IDs, get a picture before it comes or when it arrives and post it on here, there are hundreds of species of stomatopods and because of their generic labels (gonodactylus or squilla species) and their common availability as hitchhikers you literally could end up with any species. Even the experts on here don't always get it right and I certainly don't claim to be one :L as for ternatensis... Touchy subject that one... If you order a peacock and a terny turns up there isn't much you can do about it but you should never persue one because you are supporting the demand of them which is frowned upon. If one ends up accidentally at your lfs then the damage is done to the corals already and you're only adding to the supply of peacocks but inform your LFS that their supplier is causing environmental damage and that they should be inspected, I would also then avoid that supplier for the peacock if you still want one.
