Where can i find a G. smithii?

[saltwater4life1]

Hey guys I've never had a mantis before but I've always though they were cool little pets. I've been doing research for awhile and finally have a spot to set up a mantis tank. I'm setting up a 10g maybe put some frags from my reef in there after a little bit. Now i haven't been able to find a G. smithii... i know they are hard to find but this is harder then i though lol anyone know where i can find one for sell?
Any other comments i should know?
Thanks,
Nick

 

[G.SMITHII]

ready?

look for mantids labled as "baby peacock"

get onto as many forums as you can, post your wants and needs.

call all lfs in a 3-4 state radius.

look on craigs list and other things as such.

look on the net, keep in mind, just about every mantis for sale in misslabled, unless you get it from dr. roy.

really utilize club forums. maybe get involved w/ a forum that is located where g.smithii's come from?

ask your fellow reefers, you never know whats sombody been hoarding in there sump

 

[saltwater4life1]

Thanks for the tips!
I've been trying to contact all the local fish stores also some online stores and one of the guys said he could try and order one for me but if i didn't want to he would keep an eye out for them in there LR. Oh and where are G. smithii local to? I'll try and find some forums local to the area.

 

[G.SMITHII]

Range: New Caledonia to western Indian Ocean

i know it sound far fetched, but you never know what type of cool person in caledonia (never heard of that place) or any other place round the indian ocean would be willing to help you out.


http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthro...acostraca/royslist/species.php?name=g_smithii

 

[Hutton]

If I were you i would go for any small gonodactylid, mine wich i still havnt been able to identify, although i do have a couple of ideas on what he could be, is the most active mantis ive ever owned. My first mantis was a female G. smithii and was the most skitish mantis i have ever seen. you could go to your lfs and give them a picture of the species and ask them to call if they find one in the liverock.

 

[saltwater4life1]

Hmm I might do that if I don't find a G. Smithii anytime soon. I received a email from liveaquaria.com and they can't carry them as of now... That's the only place that I've heard back from.
I also tried finding a place where they are from (the western Indian Ocean area) and didn't find anything.

 

[Alesia]

In all honesty -- I was absolutely thrilled because I thought I'd found a G. smithii at a LFS. I got her home, took pictures, and Dr. Roy was kind enough to ID her as... a female N. oerstedii. My initial reaction was being bummed out that she wasn't what I'd thought. But she is every bit as interactive and interesting as I'd hoped a mantis would be, and I am not disappointed. I wouldn't trade her for the world now.

If you've got your heart set on an attractive, interactive, small mantis, just try to find one in person (LFS, fellow reefer, whatever) that fits those criteria. All in all, the exact species doesn't matter -- mantises are such individuals that just having a smithii doesn't guarantee an extraordinarily interactive mantis. I'd rather know a mantis's personality than its species -- and you don't get either of those guaranteed if you order one online.

Just my $0.02.

 

[saltwater4life1]

Well that does make alot of sense! I just i'll just look localy i picked up some LR tonight it's sitting in my sump until i get the tank up.