Unhappy Mantis???

[minnreefer]

I have a 1.5" smasher mantis that I got from a peice of rock from my tank. He is in a 10 gal with a small damsel and a few small crabs and some live rock. He seamed to be happy for about 3 weeks then about a week ago he boarded up his little cave with rocks and I have not seen or heard from him since. This morning I pried open his door to make sure that he was still alive and tried to feed him. He just kicks the food out of his cave and is very quiet. Is this normal for them to have "down" times and/or is there anything I can/ should do? I do fairly frequent small water changes from our 200 Gal reef and the damsel seems happy.

Thanks

Jon

 

[Gonodactylus]

Normal Behavior

Normal Behavior

Jon,

This is normal behavior for a gonodactylid that is molting or a female laying eggs. They often times will stay sealed up for a couple of weeks and reject food during this time.

Roy

 

[cephalopoder]

Will mantis shrimp eat their molt? My mantis has been doing the same thing. She has
been sealing up her home and did not come out for a week. She came out yesterday
but I don't see any molt out side her home. She is still refusing food. I have had her for
about 5 months now and I have seen this happen before but never any molts.

 

[Gonodactylus]

Most stomatopods eat at least part of their molt skin although they have trouble with heavily calcified parts such as the raptorial dactyls. Odontodactylus frequently will take their molts away from the burrow and bury them, only to dig them up again a few days later. Gonodactylus more typically keep the molt skin in the burrow and eat it. within the first day or two.

Roy

 

[ISFRAEL]

one of my mantis's seals up his entrance every time the lights go out. he fills it with whatever he can find, macro algae, hermit shells, pieces of shrimp (that hes suppose to be eating) but mostly it the crushed coral i used as a substrate. he opens his hole about 20 mins before my aquarium light (on timer ) turns on at 4pm.

 

[Gonodactylus]

In the field, any stomatopods open and close their cavities on a daily schedule. Gonodactylids are particularly prone to such behavior. A few species, such as Odontodactylus havanensis and O. brevirostris that maintain two entrances during the day will seal up one during the night. Some nocturnal species operate on a reverse schedule and open at night. Perhaps the most complex behavior I have seen is in Hemisquilla ensigera which opens at dawn, closes partially around 11 am, reopens around 2 and then closes again just before sunset. They seem to enjoy a siesta.

Roy