New Addition

[StirCrazy]

Well I got a phone call yesterday about a new arival in a local shop and today I brought him home.

the pics arn't the best and I will get more as he becomes a little braver.
so fare he has eaten a couple krill tonight and he has been bannging around making his cave bigger.

http://members.shaw.ca/stircrazy/aclimating.jpg

http://members.shaw.ca/stircrazy/eating.jpg

He is about 3 inches long and pretty colorfull.

Steve

[Van down by the river]

Very Nice!
Keep us updated an how fast the growth is. He should more than double his size, I'm curious how long it will take. Just curious, did you rescue It or request one?

[StirCrazy]

well I had mentioned that I would like one about 8 months ago.. and one just happen to come in.. the Owner coulden't remember who wanted it but saw them on the list and ordered 2.. one was DOA and this is the other.

Steve

[Beverly]

Well I got a phone call yesterday about a new arival in a local shop and today I brought him home.

Steve,

What the heck is that?

[StirCrazy]

What the heck is that?

A Mantis shrimp.

Steve

[Beverly]

A Mantis shrimp.

Am I crazy or what? Okay, ignore the first question...

Why do you want a mantis shrimp? In what kind of tank are you keeping it? What other inhabitants are in that tank? Are you crazy or what? (Maybe ignore that question too.) Aren't these guys the kind of beasts you DON'T want in a reef?

[Quinn]

probably a species tank. they're very interesting in their own right, des had one for a while. very intelligent, almost creepy.

[Beverly]

probably a species tank. they're very interesting in their own right, des had one for a while. very intelligent, almost creepy.

I'm thinking Steve has it in a species tank, too, but wanted to hear from the horse's mouth where he's keeping it and with what other animals.

Quinn, Speaking of creepy ....

Remember I said I had a second mithrax crab in our 42 hex? Well, I found it dead yesterday. On the one hand I'm happy that it's finally out of the tank and I don't have to be concerned about catching it. On the other hand, I wonder why it died?

[Quinn]

that is kinda creepy! with luck i'll find my mantis shrimp dead as well, i can't believe i was dumb enough to throw him into my fuge without getting an ID first. and i'm worried there are more of them in the rocks in my display tank. :neutral:

[Mak]

probably a species tank. they're very interesting in their own right, des had one for a while. very intelligent, almost creepy.

teevee's right on this one. They are really entertaining (most entertaining animal I have and I have 3 tanks) and are definitely smart. Steve's appears to be a Peacock (Ondylactus sp.), I have a Gonodylactus Smithi which has been in with a couple Chromis for about 2-3 months and they have obviously crossed paths numerous times.

Enjoy Steve-o :mrgreen:

[Aquattro]

Mak, I believe Steve's is a smithi also. I'm pretty sure it isn't an Odontodactylus scyllarus.

[Aquattro]

Here is a decent link with some cool mantis info.

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/aquarius/index.html

[Van down by the river]

It's hard to tell from the pictures, We'll know if it gets bigger it's not G.smithii as it would already be almost full grown. A better picture might help.

[Aquattro]

Van, I know it isn't a peacock, as I saw this guy at the store before Steve got it. Not real sure it's a smithi, but I am pretty sure it isn't a peacock (or maybe a VERY stressed female). A good photo to Dr. Caldwell will clarify, I'm sure.

[Van down by the river]

If you've seen it first hand then I would go with your judgement as I've only seen a picture.

[Aquattro]

If you've seen it first hand then I would go with your judgement as I've only seen a picture.

Well, before I bet money, I'd like to see it in a real home. It was in a stressful environment when I saw it and maybe the coloration I would expect, even from a female peacock, was very faded. If Steve can get a closeup of the head, we'll be better able to tell.

[Mak]

I thought it also might have been a G.Smithi. It's not as cool look'n but at least you stand a very good chance of being able to keep other stuff (except for other hard shelled critters) with it, provided that whatever you add does not try to get in the Stomatopods cave :eek: and also there is a less of a worry about him club'n trough the glass.

[StirCrazy]

Which ever he/she is, he is definatly a good clubber :mrgreen: he/she was making a condo last night. One interesting thing I noticed is that last night he/she put some rocks infront of his/her front door and this moreing he/she moved them. I am going to see if he/she closes up the cave every night like this.

Beverly, it is not realy a species tank, it has hermits, snails corals ect.. and one or two Mantis.. so far no new shells lying around as I am keeping him/her well fed. I might try a couple of damsels in the tank (something cheep to see if he/she will alow room mates or not)

He/she is comming out to get food but he/she isn't comfterable enuf to stay out long enuf for a pic yet.. but as soon as I get a good one I will post it.

Steve

[Van down by the river]

I had a small one for a few years and it closed itself in with a small rock everynight.

[Mak]

Steve mine spends quite a bit of time everynight closing up her cave. She makes sure it is perfect and I mean PERFECT :rolleyes: :lol: .

Also they just don't like other shelled critter's I don't think it has anything to do with them being hungry or not.

[Aquattro]

Depending on species, they will close up the front door every night. Just as a matter of interest, peacocks are a species that doesn't usually do that every night.
I also found out that although they are related to shrimp, they are in fact not shrimp. Who'da thunk??

[Mak]

Stomatopods they are. I'm thinking of setting up a little 10g beside my 20g for a Praying Mantis. Now that would be :cool: .

[StirCrazy]

ok so this pic is a little better but still not the best.

http://members.shaw.ca/stircrazy/eating2.jpg

Steve

[Mak]

Yep, looks just like my G.Smithi. If I don't give him the shrimp right away he clubs the heck out of my feeding stick :mrgreen: .

[StirCrazy]

this one has been as gental as could be. takes ahold of it and gently pulls it out of the stick.. I would bet I could hand feed it but I am not that brave yet.

Steve

[StirCrazy]

damn this guy/girl is intelligent..

I had heard how intelligent they were but I never thought it was to this degree.

for 3 nights now it has baracaded its hole with 3 rocks.. the same 3 rocks in the same places exactly.

Steve

[Mak]

damn this guy/girl is intelligent..

I had heard how intelligent they were but I never thought it was to this degree.



Yeah maybe you should get some Keyboard lessons from here :lol: :rolleyes: :wink:... J/K of course

[StirCrazy]

Yeah maybe you should get some Keyboard lessons from here :lol: :rolleyes: :wink:... J/K of course

and whare would "Here" be exactly? :mrgreen:

Steve

[Mak]

LOL :lol: , yeah I know this keyboard is acting up here too. It's not my computer tho :mrgreen: . Here is supposed to be her :redface: :lol: .

Picked me up another Mantis today. It's 1" and I hope it's a Peacock :cool: .