Should I get this mantis or wait?

[mikefish]

I set up a 10 gal refugium under my undulated trigger tank with the thought of eventually getting a small frogfish for it. However a lot of people seem to be having trouble with the oh-so-trendy frogs recently.

So I saw a mantis at an LFS yesterday. It was the first I've ever seen available locally, and the first I've ever actually seen in person. It made me consider a mantis for the refugium instead of a frog.

It looked like a spearer, and was generally a uniform greenish color. Not spectacular, but not drab either. It was about 3" long. It was in a completely bare tank and I was fascinated by its behaviour. It was obviously very intelligent. As for it's health, they had had it about two weeks, but I didn't enquire as to it's feeding. It was active and had no apparent damage or problems.

Anyway, I was wondering what you experienced people thought about this specimen. Should I get it, or is there something significantly better that I should wait for or make an effort to get? I'm sure there are prettier species out there, but are they that much more interesting? Or are there problems that I should be aware of with the species I am considering?
Mike

 

[joetbs]

I just made a similar decision. I was going to get a frog cos i couldn't find anyone close that was getting rid of one. So i set up the tank a month ago figuring whichever i came across first I'd get. Ended up finding someone giving away a mantis 2 days ago. I went to my LFS yesterday and they had a frogfish in, but it looked crappy. I'd say go with the mantis. Much easier to keep, and you can still feed it cool stuff. If it is a spearer you might wanna get a damsel every once in a while for him

 

[mikefish]

Surprise!

Surprise!

Well, I got the mantis It was only $12. They swear they ordered it specially and didn't find it in live rock. Whatever.

It's in the sump, and has calmed down considerably from the first night. Have plied him with thawed shrimp and scallops but he has shown no interest. He's not afraid of the chopstick, but not interested in it or the food. Read threads on feeding and it seems that they don't often starve to death so I'm not too concerned yet. I'll look for some live food this weekend - either ghost shrimp or small mollies most likely.

I think it is one of the more common variety. It appears to be a spearer, although he hasn't extended the claws yet. Color is a pleasant green.

He's charming and inquisitive, and hopefully getting hungry.
Mike

 

[mikefish]

ah relief! Felicity (aka "the bug") gently took a piece of thawed shrimp from the chopstick last night and gnawed on it to her heart's content. That critter has enough appendages for any five reasonable crustaceans!

Still want to try some live food, but for now I have hope that she will survive for a while. Next major milestone: molting.
Mike

 

[Easily Distracted]

Do you have her in a bare tank? Bare tanks are great for viewing. From what I understand, they like to build and keep busy, so you may want to keep some snail shells or rubble for her to build a fort with. Congratulations on the feeding. They seem so intelligent, I always wonder what is going on in their heads.

 

[mikefish]

She is in a new 10 gallon refugium under my 55. It has a deep sand bed and a couple of pieces of dead acro right now, plus a 6" length of clear vinyl tubing she has been using as a "cave". There will be macro algae and more rock/rubble in time. She has tunneled under the acros collapsing them into each other and made a kind of enclosure out of them. I don't know how much she planned and how much just happened, but she is definitely entertaining and an excellent use for the otherwise uninteresting 10 gal. of water.
Mike

 

[Easily Distracted]

Get some small pieces of rubble in there. They are excellent builders and she will constantly tend to her housekeeping. It's really interesting to watch and you will be amazed at the their construction abilities. I read about someone who put a shy mantis in a tank with a piece of food away from it's den. The mantis actually made a WWI style trench with rubble at the top to get to the food without being exposed. Apparently over time he got less shy and now comes out regularly to feed, but they are clever tittle monsters.