scabs on mantis back

[live&learn]

Hi everyone. I have a peacock mantis about 3.5 inches long. I've had him for about two months. When I first bought him he was brave enough to show the cat who's boss. ( Maybe more on that story later.) Then he went through a stage where he was scared of everything. He even spent some time on the floor by jumping out. I put a lid on the tank and he would swim into the glass sides, top the rocks going crazy. He developed some scabs on his back it seems overnight. This all stopped about two weeks ago and he seems fine. He is also molting he's been darker for about a week or so. So my question is 1. when mantis molt do they still come out? I heard they barricade themselves, 2. Does anyone know how the scabs got there and 3. Is there any suppliments I should be giving him to help with his molting?

 

[Timmy]

1. All my mantis shrimps are in the burrow during the molt. After the molting they are few days very scared and careful.
2. Maybe itÃ"šÃ‚´s shell disease. Do you have a photo?
3. Best water quality.

 

[dave3d]

Just to add to 2 and 3. Like Timmy mentioned the scabs could be a shell disease. A recent molt could potentiall explain why it's gone if it was indeed a shell disease. Check out my recent thread on the subject for more info on that. As far as suppliments go....you could look into iodine. It's said to be good for crustatians in general and aids in molting. Other things like Selcon for adding vitamins and such to its diet isn't a bad thing either.
--
David

 

[live&learn]

Here is the best picture I could get of him.

 

[Gonodactylus]

Looks like shell disease.

O. s generally molt in their burrow, but within hours can come out - often to bury their moltskin nearby. This is often why people miss the molt. They will later dig it up and eat it except for the hard parts. Often all that you find will be the dactyls.

A small 3.5 inch O.s will often feed the next day after a molt and while in the field they usually stay closed up for three or four days, in the aquarium with a less than perfect burrow, they do come out and often are easily spooked.

As for supplements, while is use general additives such as Selco, I certainly do not use iodine. To my knowledge, there is not a single study showing that it is good for helping stomatopods molt. There is some literature suggesting that it may be beneficial in slightly higher than normal concentrations in decapod crustaceans, but stomatopods are not decapods. I would stick with good quality seawater and forget adding trace elements beyond what is found in seawater.

Roy

 

[live&learn]

Thanks Timmy, dave3d and Roy for your replies. I figured that he wasn't happy with his cave options so I put a piece of pvc pipe in the back behind the rocks. He baracades himself in there or sticks his head out most of the time. I've read that stomatopods can die from shell desease. He still seems to be moving around fine and it's been weeks since that photo. I've read that stomatopods can die from shell desease. Is that his future or is there any thing I can do to help? I've become attached to him. Any help woud be much appreciated:worried2:

 

[ReefGeekster]

How's the Mantis now? Update.... please

 

[live&learn]

Hi sorry about the wait. I think that he molted because he's darker and the "scabs" on his shell seem to be smaller. I'm begining to think that it may have been a water quality problem. His pace never slowed down. He seems to be getting the rubble in his tank ready for another molt. We'll see if the simtoms keep improving.