S. Empusa with algae growing on them

[mattyice]

today i was at a LFS and i noticed they had two S. Empusa but the problem is they both are practically covered with algae because of not being able to get into burrows away from the light, and when i say algae i mean hair algae growing all over the body, walking legs, the raptorals, pretty much the only thing algae isnt growing on are the gills, i am going to try and see what he says about adopting them so i can nurse them back to health..

Dr. roy what do you recommend if i get them to get this algae off of the animal

i thought about leaving lights off in a tank setup for them, make some nice dark burrows, and feed food soaked in selcon and keep water in pristine conditions. anything else i could do?

 

[Untamed12]

I expect that if you could keep them healthy enough, they will shed the algae on their next molt.

I can't say that I've ever seen my mantis molt...I've just always assumed that he did.

 

[mattyice]

yeah, i mean it will need to molt but this S. Empusa was looking very bad, it looked like it it was suffering

 

[Altpers0na-old]

put an emerald crab in with it to eat the algea....

 

[mattyice]

i dont have them yet, im hoping the LFS will agree to let me take them for the price i offered because if i dont, no one will and they will die

 

[justinl]

Im all for you taking them. I know you have experience with mantids, so they'll have a pretty good chance with you i think. You know to keep them separated obviously. Do they have shell rot? if so a UV filter may help some. If it's just algae i say go with the plan you have already and just wait it out. A dark burrow is essential. They will probably hide enough to reduce the algae and may not even need a molt. I would also keep them in their own tanks with nothing but food (snails, hermits, shrimp). no fish or anything even remotely aggressive like a crab until they get stronger.

 

[mattyice]

well with them being spearing types im going to get ghost shrimp and soak their water in selcon, garlic, and feed them cyclopeeze

i have a 20L im going to divide up for them and make a burrow out of sliced off PVC so i can view on their status

 

[justinl]

black or dark grey pvc right?

 

[mattyice]

i have access to both but i will be most likely putting black sand in their tank so i will just coat the inside with silicone and cover it with black sand, same thing with the outside of it, they are extremely active so i bet they will want a burrow as soon as i get them in the tank, i need to put some LR in the tank and i actually have a few pieces that would be perfect and they would love their burrows and it would really save on having to buy alot of sand, i have two pieces i can borrow from monte's tank and i will borrow about half the water from that and do a water change on monte's and i will make new water for the rest of their tank and if they are indeed a male and female i will most likely not divide the tank because they are still not fighting at the LFS so im sure they will be fine, i will have two different burrows in the tank though

 

[justinl]

personally, even if they are female and male, i would put in a divider at least until they are recovered. After that, when they're both full strength, it's your call. I would get a pretty large tank if you keep them together though.

keep us posted! pics would be nice =)

 

[mattyice]

i am sorry they are not S. Empusa they are C. Dubia, they are both about 3.5" in length and need some dire care, im going to start them out with soaked silversides twice a week and will only use the front half of them so they can get as many nutrients as they can from the organs

 

[justinl]

C. dubia? sweet. I like those guys... wish i had one. Can we get some pics?

good luck on te rehab

 

[mattyice]

i will get pics when i get them, they are very inquisitive at the store they just want some place to hide

 

[mattyice]

Dr. Roy does that sound like a good plan, i plan on putting them in a divided 20L is that enough to raise them back to health? i figure they arent a very active species but from what i see at the store they are extremely active and always moving around

 

[Gonodactylus]

The prognosis is not good. One hair algae gets really well established, the rhyzomes penetrate the cuticle and molting is difficult. They need to be in the dark - or at least very dark burrows that will help abrade the the algae. Red hair algae is the worst, but green isn't much better. I've seen this happen many times to burrowing species kept in the light and when it gets as bad as you describe, I can't remember any animals surviving.

Roy

 

[mattyice]

would it be worth it to use a product that kills hair algae and such in their tank?

 

[Gonodactylus]

I have no idea.

Roy

 

[mattyice]

well im going with black sand, covering black PVC in black sand, and will have LR in the tank and wont be needing a light for awhile, i will feed the healthiest things i can and feed gutloaded ghost shrimp and selcon soaked silversides, as for filtration i will have the LR and i will also run phosphate media and carbon in the filter, im hoping to see some good results from them, it looked like hair algae but when i see any suffering i will use a few tricks to see if it will help the animal shed the molt

 

[Thurge]

GL
I wouldn't even put lights on the tank until you get through the first molt.

 

[mattyice]

thats what im going to do, i might make the aquarium as dark as i can for awhile