DensityMan
Active member
It's everything you've been waiting for... isn't it? :|
He was smiling, posing giving me plenty of time to get the digi-cam ready.
I point, focus, click and *BAM* - He retreats into the shadows...
*grumble*
The Continuing Adventures of Tim (Supermantis)
- Thread starter DensityMan
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It's everything you've been waiting for... isn't it? :|
He was smiling, posing giving me plenty of time to get the digi-cam ready.
I point, focus, click and *BAM* - He retreats into the shadows...
*grumble*
Maybe the fame has gotten to his head? He doesn't appreciate his fans anymore! 
DensityMan
Active member
The wrasse went back to the big-tank. Now he's got to make friends or become dominant overly his sexually-confused counterpart...
I hope he makes it, but I really just wanted Tim to be a "star" in his own tank again... that damn wrasse was a pig and I think he might've been a bit of a shrimp-nipper lately... (Tim's still a sissy... he's just a bigger sissy than he used to be)
As of last night the wrasse was still being chased around intermittently by his gender-switching mate. So far no one is dead and no one has jumped... so there may be hope.
(Lights are still out in Tim's world, so no update there yet either (why does he get to sleep in until 10:30am and I have to be up with the sun?... ))
I hope he makes it, but I really just wanted Tim to be a "star" in his own tank again... that damn wrasse was a pig and I think he might've been a bit of a shrimp-nipper lately... (Tim's still a sissy... he's just a bigger sissy than he used to be)
As of last night the wrasse was still being chased around intermittently by his gender-switching mate. So far no one is dead and no one has jumped... so there may be hope.
(Lights are still out in Tim's world, so no update there yet either (why does he get to sleep in until 10:30am and I have to be up with the sun?... ))
monkeyprof
New member
Hey DM has Tim gone after those ghost shrimp?
DensityMan
Active member
monkeyprof said:
While I certainly missed the party, I think he has consumed them all (or at least scared them into hiding).
I placed six of those shrimp into his tank. I can find none of them now... /shrug
Speaking of the reclusive super-mantis, I think he's been taking tips from Brando on how to avoid the camera.
He's moved home away from the tanks main current and into the back-wall corner.
Not to be out-witted this weekend though (after all the trouble of netting his bothersome roomie), I decided to call upon an old ally - the Great and all-powerful Feeding Straw!!!
Food conquers all...
overflowin
New member
has he eaten any of those blue leg hermits?
donnie
donnie
Dakota_reef
New member
Hey, do you have any recent pictures of the whole tank you could post? I'm really thinking about setting up my 10g in the kitchen for a mantis. Do you use a skimmer on Tim's?
~Eric
~Eric
DensityMan
Active member
Had to turn the light back on (that's why all the polyps are closed), but here it is in all its... um... almost glory.
After taking that pic (about 15 minutes ago) I noticed some of the polyps from the top of the reef had been knocked to the sand bed.
So I got in the tank to 'rescue' Strongbad from between the back-glass and the LR. You'd think a crab that digs out a 'shell' from a piece of live rock and carries it around on his back would know where he can and can't go in the tank after a few months...
Since my hands were already wet and Tim was asleep (so he couldn't say anything about it), I rearranged the tank to be able to better view Tim's newest abode. Moved the Halimeda... restacked all the non-Time claimed rock to better block Strongbad from trapping himself against the glass again...
He's going to be pretty torqued in the morning.
I can't wait.
:lol:
As for his meals lately I can't tell. I put in 15 tiny blue-legs Saturday (yesterday) from Overflowin. They are being really productive cleaning up after Tim so far. Tim's been actively hunting (when the camera is off and farther away than arm's reach) and been rapping on something.
Though with a blue-leg still the prime suspect in the "case of the missing mantis eye," I'm not certain how eager he is to try that particular dinner again. *grin*
Still haven't seen any of the shrimp from Friday (live or dead) so I'm assuming they have either been consumed or are hitchhiking cross-country to get the heck out of Dodge...
p.s. - Thanks Sylie. Tim does a fair job of landscaping and Strongbad's alwasys willing to lend a claw to help. So I can't claim much responsibility for how the tank looks...
p.s.s. - the contraption on the left side of the image is a surface-skimmer that feeds the HOB filter. No real skimmer has ever been attached to this tank. The filter and contraption are both new and I believe they are both aquaclear models. Bulb has also just been changed last night - I can already tell a difference on the creeping crud today... Light is a Coralife 96watt hood w/ a single 50/50 bulb.
After taking that pic (about 15 minutes ago) I noticed some of the polyps from the top of the reef had been knocked to the sand bed.
So I got in the tank to 'rescue' Strongbad from between the back-glass and the LR. You'd think a crab that digs out a 'shell' from a piece of live rock and carries it around on his back would know where he can and can't go in the tank after a few months...
Since my hands were already wet and Tim was asleep (so he couldn't say anything about it), I rearranged the tank to be able to better view Tim's newest abode. Moved the Halimeda... restacked all the non-Time claimed rock to better block Strongbad from trapping himself against the glass again...
He's going to be pretty torqued in the morning.
I can't wait.
:lol:
As for his meals lately I can't tell. I put in 15 tiny blue-legs Saturday (yesterday) from Overflowin. They are being really productive cleaning up after Tim so far. Tim's been actively hunting (when the camera is off and farther away than arm's reach) and been rapping on something.
Though with a blue-leg still the prime suspect in the "case of the missing mantis eye," I'm not certain how eager he is to try that particular dinner again. *grin*
Still haven't seen any of the shrimp from Friday (live or dead) so I'm assuming they have either been consumed or are hitchhiking cross-country to get the heck out of Dodge...
p.s. - Thanks Sylie. Tim does a fair job of landscaping and Strongbad's alwasys willing to lend a claw to help. So I can't claim much responsibility for how the tank looks...
p.s.s. - the contraption on the left side of the image is a surface-skimmer that feeds the HOB filter. No real skimmer has ever been attached to this tank. The filter and contraption are both new and I believe they are both aquaclear models. Bulb has also just been changed last night - I can already tell a difference on the creeping crud today... Light is a Coralife 96watt hood w/ a single 50/50 bulb.
Dakota_reef
New member
ooOO! That aquaclear setup you have! I've been looking for something like that for mine! Did you buy that, or is it DIY?
And I must say, Tim is very very spoiled. Any confrontation between him and strongbad?
And I must say, Tim is very very spoiled. Any confrontation between him and strongbad?
quandary_23
New member
DM, this is sure a great pleasure of mine to read this thread. By the way, do your run carbon along with your ac diy skimmer type setup. VERY neat idea, I really enjoy it so much that I will have to make one eventually 
.
Strongbad still alive, and cryptonite thought he was tough. Ha ha ha, strongbad laughs at him. How big is Tim now?
. Strongbad still alive, and cryptonite thought he was tough. Ha ha ha, strongbad laughs at him. How big is Tim now?
DensityMan
Active member
The AC surface-skimmer was a new gadget that I found at a local LFS for $19.99. A quick search of the web got me this link with images and many listings for as low as $9.99 over the internet.
I had planned many ways to do just this, but never got around to the project. So when I saw it on the shelf I had to buy it!
In the AquaClear filter I am currently running both a sponge and carbon. This week I will swap out the sponge and carbon and add a chemi-clear (still fighting some dinos/cyano blooms (damn dirty eater)...
Tim is roughly 2 to 2 1/2 inches in total length now, but it's his width that I find most impressive since first getting him. The pictures don't show it very well, but he is a monster for his size.
Strongbad has also grown in the time he has been rooming with Tim. Aside from finally having dealt with Krytonite (unconfirmed but the remains looked to have been his), Tim seems content to leave Strongbad alone... for now. Having a hollowed out piece of LR and big freakin' claws for protection might have something to do with Strong's survival and the perceived truce though.
I had planned many ways to do just this, but never got around to the project. So when I saw it on the shelf I had to buy it!
In the AquaClear filter I am currently running both a sponge and carbon. This week I will swap out the sponge and carbon and add a chemi-clear (still fighting some dinos/cyano blooms (damn dirty eater)...
Tim is roughly 2 to 2 1/2 inches in total length now, but it's his width that I find most impressive since first getting him. The pictures don't show it very well, but he is a monster for his size.
Strongbad has also grown in the time he has been rooming with Tim. Aside from finally having dealt with Krytonite (unconfirmed but the remains looked to have been his), Tim seems content to leave Strongbad alone... for now. Having a hollowed out piece of LR and big freakin' claws for protection might have something to do with Strong's survival and the perceived truce though.
monkeyprof
New member
On those ghost shrimp, saw my Wrasse few days ago chase one up to the surface but didn't think it made it far out of the tank, but 3ft away was where I found one of them yesterday. Look like one of those dried up krill snacks.
DensityMan
Active member
Just about any place could probably order a peacock/rainbow mantis, but the smaller species more often come in as hitchhikers on coral or live rock.
This forum is a good way to find them from people willing to ship as well.
This forum is a good way to find them from people willing to ship as well.
Hwarang
New member
So how's the surface skimmer working out? I just got mine last night and set it up on my ac300. I'm uh ... less than thrilled. It's pretty ugly in the small space of a 5.5g tank.
1. The surface skimmer doesn't skim. If I adjust it so there is more suction, it drags in air bubbles which are noisy and interfere with the impeller's proper operation.
2. I also got the mini impeller on smoeone's advice - they said it would reduce flow etc. Well it did. So much so that it can't pump the water up the tube.
3. Is the surface skimmer supposed to float? The little clear part tends to get bubbles trapped underneath it and it'll float, causing the suction to stop.
Any tips from you? I'll give it a week or so, but if it's gonna stay it needs to be operating correctly, which it isn't doing now. Some instructions would be cool, even if it is a simple device.
Thx!
1. The surface skimmer doesn't skim. If I adjust it so there is more suction, it drags in air bubbles which are noisy and interfere with the impeller's proper operation.
2. I also got the mini impeller on smoeone's advice - they said it would reduce flow etc. Well it did. So much so that it can't pump the water up the tube.
3. Is the surface skimmer supposed to float? The little clear part tends to get bubbles trapped underneath it and it'll float, causing the suction to stop.
Any tips from you? I'll give it a week or so, but if it's gonna stay it needs to be operating correctly, which it isn't doing now. Some instructions would be cool, even if it is a simple device.
Thx!
DensityMan
Active member
Hrm... I recall having some fine-adjustment issues, but nothing so bad as all that.
In the 10g it is kinda cumbersome, but it is a necessary evil for Tim and I. His filtration had been less then spectacular for some time and the film on top of his tank was beginning to toy with sentience... Scary stuff.
Occasionally mine will 'gurgle' a bit as a self adjustment. The top is supposed to float just under the surface, but I have also taken to locking the floater into place in such a way as to encourage skimming.
I push my coralife hood (on legs) back towards the wall until the black peg/shaft of the skimmer assembly puts enough pressure on the floating skimmer to hoild it where I want it.
Not a perfect system, but it costs $9.99 (or $19.99 if you're me)...
I'll take some pics if you like when I get home.
More often, my problem has been getting the skimmer to stay at the surface not worrying about it over-floating to stop suction.
In the 10g it is kinda cumbersome, but it is a necessary evil for Tim and I. His filtration had been less then spectacular for some time and the film on top of his tank was beginning to toy with sentience... Scary stuff.
Occasionally mine will 'gurgle' a bit as a self adjustment. The top is supposed to float just under the surface, but I have also taken to locking the floater into place in such a way as to encourage skimming.
I push my coralife hood (on legs) back towards the wall until the black peg/shaft of the skimmer assembly puts enough pressure on the floating skimmer to hoild it where I want it.
Not a perfect system, but it costs $9.99 (or $19.99 if you're me)...
I'll take some pics if you like when I get home.
More often, my problem has been getting the skimmer to stay at the surface not worrying about it over-floating to stop suction.
DensityMan
Active member
While I generally feed his tanka little something each day ('pods have to eat too), I leave Tim to harvest his own meals most times. I used to be there trying to prepare his every meal and then get the finicky eater to take food from me, but that got old (TRANSLATION: I got lazy and Tim had to move home from my work desk).
In order of preference these are what Tim is supplied to satisfy his hunger:
- Nassarius ("Graveyard") snails = Tim's absolute favorite meal
- Cerith snails = once he got big enough to tackle them, he found he liked them...
- Blue-leg hermits = mostly I think he attacks these 'cause they are wearing his favorite meals shells... /shrug
What he hasn't eaten even with plently of opportunities:
- Whelks = finally had to 'dispose' of the large whelk that was eating snails faster than Tim.
- Most crabs = I think this is just because he's a sissy...
When the Great Straw visits Tim, it comes bearing thawed mysis shrimp and enriched brine...
Aside from providing what I believe to be a little healthier and more natural diet, this feeding keeps Tim's raptorial appendages strong.
Hope that helps!
In order of preference these are what Tim is supplied to satisfy his hunger:
- Nassarius ("Graveyard") snails = Tim's absolute favorite meal
- Cerith snails = once he got big enough to tackle them, he found he liked them...
- Blue-leg hermits = mostly I think he attacks these 'cause they are wearing his favorite meals shells... /shrug
What he hasn't eaten even with plently of opportunities:
- Whelks = finally had to 'dispose' of the large whelk that was eating snails faster than Tim.
- Most crabs = I think this is just because he's a sissy...
When the Great Straw visits Tim, it comes bearing thawed mysis shrimp and enriched brine...
Aside from providing what I believe to be a little healthier and more natural diet, this feeding keeps Tim's raptorial appendages strong.
Hope that helps!
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