Snails or hermits?
- Thread starter Ab3
- Start date
chameloman72
New member
they should have both!!
Pea-brain
In Memoriam
Try fiddler crabs. They are brackishwater animals that can be kept in tank and can easily be dumped straight in the tank and survive with no acclimation. They can last months in Slatwater if they have a spot to get out of the water for a few seconds (mine climbs on a powerhead) or weeks without it. They are also a staple for octopus and cuttlefish so I would immagine they would be an okay supplement (I would still feed Frozen foods soaked with saelcon once a week with occasional SW hermits and snails) You also might want to cut off the big claw of the males or else risk an eye (gulp!)
Dan
Dan
Pea-brain
In Memoriam
Well if you just want to do it occasionally (like once a month) crayfish or red crabs would be fine. If you want them to become a serious part of the diet I wouldn't suggest them. In general FW inverts are very low in just about every way nutritionally. Very low protien, very low fats, etc. But for occasional feeding there is no harm done really.
Dan
Dan
chameloman72
New member
I catch fiddler crabs in my back yard!! The mantis seem to like these the best!! and like Pea Brain said they last for a long time in the tank until eaten anyway!!
Guygettnby
Well-known member
i feed my mantis both snails and crabs. but out of everything i have tried feeding them they love ghost shrimp the most. i get them 6 for $1 and my LFS keeps them in stock all the time.
not to mention the feeder shrimp are very fast and the mantis have to put up a chase in order to eat. they have only killed and eaten 1 crab and have not messed with the hermit or small hitch hiker crab i have put into the tank.
not to mention the feeder shrimp are very fast and the mantis have to put up a chase in order to eat. they have only killed and eaten 1 crab and have not messed with the hermit or small hitch hiker crab i have put into the tank.
chameloman72
New member
HOLY ****, 6 for a $1 I get 20 for a $1.59 at my lfs!!!
Guygettnby
Well-known member
Bingo! i have yet to try fiddler crabs though as i dont want to waste the money if they arent going to eat them.
have you had any luck with the fiddler crabs?
Pea-brain
In Memoriam
Before the mantis I bought died (thinking because the aquarium it was in might have been washed with soap) she killed a fiddler crab. She ate a few legs and killed it. Big hole in the top of the carapace. It was an N. wennerae. If your mantis will eat emerald or other crabs it will probably take a fiddler. The 2 I got couldn't have been much bigger than a quarter (just the body, not including legs) but I think they can get pretty big. The cool thing is since they crawlout of the water and live in brackish environments and may travel upstream to freshwater or to the ocean they are fully capable of taking large salinity and temperature changes near instantly so no worries about acclimating really.
Dan
Edit: fixed some grammar and spelling mistakes
Dan
Edit: fixed some grammar and spelling mistakes
Pea-brain
In Memoriam
I have never or from them. I was planning to but both my mantises died, then I got another and it died too, so I have no predators to order for. But I think alot of people on tonmo.com buy shrimp and crabs through them for their octos. And it is a heck of alot cheaper than buying peppermint shrimp and emerald crabs as food 
Dan
Dan
