very small hawaiian mantis

[TylerC]

while examining some rocks from the ocean on my trip to hawaii i was lucky enough to find a small mantis who has now found a new home in iowa. Wiapao (had to give it a hawaian name) was in a rock we put in a bucket and came out to explore.

my question is that since it is very small (maybe an inch) is there any special care it requires? spacifically what should i feed this little guy? i have no idea what species it is, whether it is a smasher or a spearer, ect... but i think it is going to be hard to tell untill it gets a little bigger.

-Tyler

 

[srude]

Wanna see pics!!!

 

[Avid_aquarist]

what island and beach did you catch it at?
im pretty familliar with the local mantis'. if you post some pictures or describe it well enough, i might be able to figure it out.

 

[Gonodactylus]

There are only a few possibilities. If it is a spearer, it is probably a juvenile Pseudosquilla ciliata. If a smasher and taken shallow, it is either the introduced Gonodactylaceous falcatus or Gonodactylellus hendersoni.

 

[TylerC]

Well it was taken shallow. I got it on the kona cost, the beautifull snorkeling beach that is sheilded in, and always way to busy (can't remember the name but if you take the main drag into kailuah coming from the north and follow the beach it is after all the touristy shops)
It is a golden color, pretty uniform. I will try to get pics as I would love to know the specific species, however it may take a few days as coming back is hectic. In the mean time any guesses (or links to pictures) are welcome. If you guys could also reccomend some type of food that would be great as I bet it is getting hungry and I would really like to get him some chow

is the food reccomendation hinging on whether he is a spearer or a smasher? he is so small that i don't think i have a hermit that he could take down, or a fish for that matter

ohh, also I don't know if only smashers make the popping noise but he got really ****ed when I was trying to move him and made the loud popping noise against the plastic if that helps...

 

[TylerC]

http://www.blueboard.com/mantis/pics/yellow_pseudosquilla_collage.htm may just be the one... does it mesh with the facts i stated?

 

[Gonodactylus]

It sure does. P. ciliata when small will live in rubble, particularly if there is some algae on it. They move out and start burrowing in the sand when they get to be a bit larger. Also, I'm not sure if G. falcatus has made it to the Big Island yet, so P. ciliata is probably the one.

Roy

 

[TylerC]

so now what do i feed the bugger

 

[TylerC]

Well finaly it has taken to krill. very excited since it has eaten for the first time. i was starting to get very worried about this little bugger however I now have full expectations for its long healthy life with me just wanted to share the good news of its long time in coming eating. now time to give it a better habitat and do some aquascaping

-Tyler