Why do they loose there appendages?

[SunDragon]

After my mantis's latest molt he has lost his smasher appendages. When I first bought him a few months ago he didnt have them but after a molt they were back. Is this just a cycle they go through, or is there something lacking in his diet that he is missing?

 

[CrazyLionfish]

Usually if a mantis isn't using his appendages, for example, if you have a smasher and you feed him frozen food or pellets exclusivly, his smashing appendages are no longer needed, so he sheds the extra weight. Are you feeding yours any crabs or snails?

 

[ejls]

At the moment I'm feeding mine dead food but he gets plenty of use of his appendages on the feeding stick. I think I need a new one! Also he seems to be using them to excavate his burrow with. not sure if this'll stop him shedding them. He's got live food in there but it won't come to him and he won't go to it!

 

[SunDragon]

I have allways made sure he gets snails, hermits, ghosts shrimp to hunt and beat on in addition to little frozen tidbits. Hes allways been beating away on something.

 

[CrazyLionfish]

Hmm.. well then for some reason he must feel that he no longer needs them so he ripped them of. Not sure what to tell you, he'll probably regain them again soon.

 

[Carinya]

I fed mine a ton of live food from the get-go & he still shed his. Grew back though.

 

[sandlot13]

how often does it take for them to regenerate their appendages? i got mine a week ago, and the more i look at him, the more i think that he doesnt have clubs right now.

 

[jwalters103]

mine also recently lost one of his clubs and it looks like he lost part of his carapace as well, im not sure though. id also like so input on this. hes too small to go after most of the hermits i give hin, but i always see him chasing pods.

 

[Gonodactylus]

Severe stress due to temperature, salinity or oxygen problems or toxic chemicals can cause the raptorial appendages to fail and ultimately to be lost. Usually when this occurs they are physically ripped off. Loss during molting is a different issue and the bottom line is that we just don't know why this happens. It is more common in large smashers like O. scyllarus than in smaller ones, and it seems rare in spearers, although I have seen it fairly frequently in Lysiosquillina. I suspect that the problem is a combination of lack of excercise and nutrition, but I don't have a magic preventative except the old saw of good water quality and a varied, natural diet that for smashers includes items that must be broken up.

Roy

 

[don-n-sa]

great info Roy....thanks

 

[SunDragon]

For anyone who might have cared, been keeping track, or just curious he has just about fully regrown them. He was happily clicking away at a rock eating the feather duster on it just a few minutes ago. They dont seem to be as large, but im sure there still growing in.

So that was about 45 days or so before they came back enough that he felt he could use them.

 

[jwalters103]

good to know