Peacock not eating

[SkinnyPete]

I haven't posted since my first awful high SG acclimation story. My peacock mantis has been looking pretty healthy. He dug out some burrows that he was calling home, but over the past week he completely dug up the entire tank and moved rocks around so much so that there really is no hiding place for him anymore. I threw in some pvc until I can (I guess) re-aquascape better, but he's not really trying to hide and when moving the pvc I found 3 pieces of shrimp that I THOUGHT he was eating...instead he's just hiding them in the sand. I'd say he hasn't eaten in 3-4 days. I've been feeding him raw shrimp and squid.

Is it normal for a mantis to go on a mini food strike? I'm also concerned that he doesn't seem interested in hiding. I checked water params. Ammo 0, trites 0, nitrates 2.5 sg 1.025. Any thoughts, concerns?

- Skins

 

[sandlot13]

no concerns on my part......... you should only feed them a few times a week anyway. I would just not feed him for a few more days, then try a small thing to see if he will eat it right away. Mantis shrimps arent used to getting all this food all the time in the wild, so when they get a surplus they tend to store it in the sand for a later date... so in lesson, dont overfeed! maybe try not feeding for a while, then giving him a hermit crab or two (i know thats what my mantis's really like)

 

[SkinnyPete]

Well, I was feeding frequently because I thought I read somewhere more frequent feeding would promote quicker molting. My mantis does not currently have either smasher, so it will take a few molts to grow them back - hence, not able to feed hermits at this time.

But, you're probably right - still too much for him to eat. Keep in mind, they are only pieces of raw shrimp obviously. Not the whole shrimp. I'm feeding maybe 1/3 of a raw jumbo shrimp maybe 5 times a week. Still, maybe that is too much.

 

[sandlot13]

ya, id back off to at least 3 times a week till hes eating that consistently..... then you can maybe bump it up if he will eat it all

 

[SkinnyPete]

Weird coinc. I came home today to find a bunch of pieces of shell laying in the tank. Molt #1, apparently successful. He's now hiding again and acting as normal.

 

[Frostyeel]

My full grown snowflake moray eel only eats one jumbo shrimp once or twice a week, that is a lot of food for a mantis. It's a good idea to feed him a lot but I would only feed him as much as he will eat.