toxicity or what?

[mogurnda]

Hello All,
My mantis is "twitchy." It keeps its abdomen flexed most of the time with the pleiopods pulsing constantly, appears uncoordinated, and goes shooting off in a spastic manner when disturbed, doing repeated tail flicks. Basically it looks like the nervous system is "hyperexcitable," generating exaggerated movements. It used to be very graceful and catlike. Anything I can do? I just added activated carbon last night, hoping it would remove whatever toxin may be in there.

Here's the full story. I moved a 3" N. wennerae from the main 90 gallon tank to a 10 gallon nano about 10 days ago.
The tank was set up in August, and has:
~10-15 lbs live rock, 3" sandbed (playsand and livesand from main tank)
40 watts NO fluorescent lights
Lots of mushrooms, a few little macroalgae
Small aquaclear with a coarse sponge and carbon
100 gph powerhead
Some little strombus and whelks for food/cleanup
Large bristleworms (several fireworms, a very large lugworm) evicted from the main tank.
Current parameters (early am): specific gravity 1.0235, pH 8.0, alkalinity 2.5, NO3 ~5, Ca 400.

There must be something in the tank, because another mantis did this within about two weeks of being put in the tank before. All the stuff came from the main tank, where the guy was having a grand old time for two months.

 

[mogurnda]

Hmmm, maybe I can help things along.

"Dave, do you think there were insecticides or cleaning products used nearby?"

I don't think so. We don't use insecticides, except on the dog every 3 months, and he stays out of the tank. The den where the tank sits hasn't been cleaned properly in a long time (sore point with the spouse). Could have choked on a dust bunny, I guess.

 

[Fenix]

LOL!
Have you tested for nitrates and nitrites? Ammonia, and when was the last time you did a water change?

Chances are if it is a 10 gal then it wont take much to make the water at a toxic level. When my roommate had a 7 gal nano he had to do water changes atleast once a week.

 

[mogurnda]

NH3 and NO2 have not registered on the test kits since the tank was set up. As posted above, NO3 is around 5 ppm. Certainly doesn't seem toxic.

I read in one of the mantis writeups that they are very sensitive to CO2. What would the symptoms of excessive CO2 be?

 

[traveller7]

I read in one of the mantis writeups that they are very sensitive to CO2. What would the symptoms of excessive CO2 be?

Lower pH.

 

[mogurnda]

Lower pH.

Sorry, I meant the mantis' symptoms. The pH is a tad low, though, but it was first thing in the morning.

 

[mogurnda]

Seems better now. Maybe the carbon helped, maybe it was a mood.