Some quick pointers on mantis ID plz?

[crafty_50mitchell]

Hey guys and gals, Ive been extremely busy in the aquarium business over the past three months that Ive had my little ten gallon nano/mantis tank going and am finally making effort to properly ID my mantis. Originally I id'd him as a n.wenn but Im pretty sure thats not it, now Im thinking R (?) chiagra (sp?). Dont have a proper pic right now, but will get one soon. I was wondering if someone could point me in the right direction for ID'ing a chiagra, I look through the lurkers guide often but have not seen any pics of them that could help.
Thanks for the assistance, and great posts by everyone.
Brian

 

[traveller7]

Best bet is to post a high quality picture, source information and hope some of the experienced folks can ID it.

I am not one of those folks. All of mine have come in on gulf live rock.

 

[MJI]

I have G Chiragra: Please click here for a thread I started.

 

[crafty_50mitchell]

Thanks MJI, whats great about that thread is that Im actually in it a couple times, first one is to say its a N.Wennerae since he looks alot like (what I thought at the time to be a N.wenn) my mantis. Im fairly sure that he is a Chiragra after looking at the pics,especially the merel spots are right on for what my guy has. Thanks again.

 

[crafty_50mitchell]

While Im thinking about it have you had any luck with housing him with anything else (besides softies, mushrooms etc.) such as a brittle star? Im betting against it but Im still curious especially if any other chiragra owners out there have any experiences plz share them.

 

[MJI]

No luck whatsoever, well i'm saying no luck.

I tried 2 Banggai Cardinals in the tank and he just run around all day looking for ways to beat em up!! No joke, he'd even try using his swimmerettes to float in mid water just so he could get close.

Needless to say I took them out.

Very aggressive little character - I only have to stand up from my desk on the other side of the room and he pulls a meral threat.

He's shedding again at the mo, so haven't seen him for coming up a week now.

 

[crafty_50mitchell]

Personally Ive had a little luck so far, since this is a ten gallon Ive had a fairly small Damsel in there with him for the past four months, and only once have I seen him actively go after the damsel, and that was returning after a mountain bike trip over the weekend that kept the prawns out of his gut. So I might get a little more ambitious here and ty a brittle or serpent star, Ill be sure to let you know how it goes.

 

[MJI]

I have a starfish in with him at the moment - a knobbly green. Been in since december.

He doesn't bother that at all - unless it wanders over his hole entrance, then he lightly taps it away, never uses a full on blast.