+Grog Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 Well, If you've read my build thread, you know that I found a mantis shrimp on my live rock yesterday. Kind of cool critter so I hurried up and threw together a 10g tank and put him in there. I'm not going to make another build thread for this tank. Its just sand, rock, and Mr Mantis. He's made a happy little cave home under one of the pieces of live rock and will come out when I leave the room (it is on top of the bathroom sink) and then hide when I re-enter. I figured I'd feed him today and offered him a small piece of silversides via a chopstick. The piece of fish blew away in the current so I grabbed it and stuck it into the cave. The mantis swept it out of the cave. Three or four times, I'd insert the fish in the opening of the mantis' cave and the mantis would push it away politely. I'm guessing he either doesn't like silversides or is still adjusting to his new abode. I was expecting it to pop the fish either for intruding or out of hunger but he just ejected the fish without an uproar. What should I try to feed the mantis? I stuck one of my CUC snails in there to see if that looks tasty to him. lol I don't think that is a good long term plan though. Any ideas for mantis snacks? Grog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(Bio)³ Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 Try some frozen krill perhaps? Or maybe when you dethaw your food for the other tank get a tweezer full and drop it infront of the cave with the current off for 5 min? Sounds like fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bannerfish Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 That's awesome, I want one of those guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 Mantis Shrimp are a very fascinating group of animals. The Nov/Dec 2010 issue of Coral magazine has several articles about them. They use polorized light to cominicate with each other (suggests a rather complex social structure). The chemistry in thier eyes will adapt to the light levels to optimize vision and they have binocular vision with just one eye. Grog, I've got a yellow tail blue damsel I don't mind donating. My suspicion is they may be very picky about what they eat and not the indiscriminat killers their reputation makes them out to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinB Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 I've heard they eat sharks for breakfast Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Grog Posted March 6, 2012 Author Share Posted March 6, 2012 Timfish. I re'ed your PM. Thanks for the fish. His behavoir with the piece of silversides seemed very territorial (as you had mentioned). Really looked like he wanted his personal space left alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Grog Posted March 9, 2012 Author Share Posted March 9, 2012 Thought the mantis was dead today. Found a shell, after a minor freak out. I was concerned because the head was gone, I figured one of the damsels ate it... Well, he's in there, it appears he molted, just the back armor was left. I had read that after molting the red ones can turn more green and their color is a function of how deep they are in the water. My mantis is now green. Looks better that way. The now green mantis is sharing a hole with one of the damsels. They are all under a rock together. Pretty funny stuff. More unexpected behavior. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 A mantis and a damsel cohabitating is not what I'd expect. It will be interesting if this behaviour continues, it may be atributable to both being new to the tank and the mantis just molting. Definitely keep us posted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Grog Posted March 14, 2012 Author Share Posted March 14, 2012 Mantis finally took a piece of silversides today. Grabbed it and went back into his little cave. Very non-aggressive, quite calm and smooth, almost graceful. Damsels are out and about more too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Grog Posted March 15, 2012 Author Share Posted March 15, 2012 Both ate mysis today. Maybe the mantis wasn't picky, just getting settled in. Same behavior today. I squirted a little shrimp in, he popped out of his cave grabbed it and went back into hiding. I'm trying to be very punctual with my feeding of these guys and the clowns. 6:00 PM every day. Mantis has one hole under a rock now. Damsels each have their rocks, which they dive behind if I make any jerky movements. Everyone is becoming more accustomed to my presence with each day. I'm trying to not overfeed, one cube of mysis fed these guys and the clowns. I almost wish they made 1/2 size cubes, as it looks like that is all I need to feed my critters. I may need to do some blending and making of my own (smaller) cubes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 You could use a razoe blade to cut them in half. Is the mantis still sharing it's hole with on of the damsels? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Grog Posted March 16, 2012 Author Share Posted March 16, 2012 He is by himself in the hole. Damsels each have their own spaces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+KimP Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Both ate mysis today. Maybe the mantis wasn't picky, just getting settled in. Same behavior today. I squirted a little shrimp in, he popped out of his cave grabbed it and went back into hiding. I'm trying to be very punctual with my feeding of these guys and the clowns. 6:00 PM every day. Mantis has one hole under a rock now. Damsels each have their rocks, which they dive behind if I make any jerky movements. Everyone is becoming more accustomed to my presence with each day. I'm trying to not overfeed, one cube of mysis fed these guys and the clowns. I almost wish they made 1/2 size cubes, as it looks like that is all I need to feed my critters. I may need to do some blending and making of my own (smaller) cubes. I just need 1/2 cube of mysis too, so I just easily cut the cube in half with a little knife right there in the package. I just leave the knife in the freezer with it. I'm glad to hear your mantis is settling in nicely! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+etannert Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 We defrost cubes in a little Tupperware container and just leave it in the fridge. They seem to stay good for 3-4 days min. Good for those of us who feed a variety and don't want to deal with defrosting food every time. When our tanks were small and lightly stocked, it would take us at least 3 days to go through a cube... lol... those were the days! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Grog Posted March 20, 2012 Author Share Posted March 20, 2012 I'm having a ton of fun watching this guy's antics. Last few days he's been chipping away at rocks and making tunnels under the sand between the rocks. Now he has a bit of an underground system and can pop out on the left or right of a couple of rocks. I think the mantis is associating my noisy fumbling around in the bathroom as, "its dinner time," because when I come in, he peeks out. This is definitely the critter I'm enjoying the most. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sifuentes31 Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 I always cut my cubes in half. Just pop four cubes out of the package and cut them in half with a knife. I then place the pieces in a small tupperware container and put it in the freezer. Last me 8 days before i have to chop another row of cubes. I feed them pellets for breakfast and the mysis for dinner. And yeah i know what you mean about enjoying their behavior. I have an emerald crab with one claw and he eats the cheato like spaghetti. I always get a kick out of that little guy. By far my favorite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 Has the mantis taught you any new tricks yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Grog Posted April 10, 2012 Author Share Posted April 10, 2012 He is still doing his things. Comes out more, knows when feeding time is, and has taken to dragging empty shells and rocks to cover/block the entrance to his little caves. Still ignores the damsels and they are becoming less skittish. Everyone who comes over to visit wants to see the mantis eat. Forces me to keep the bathroom very clean. haha (Mantis tank is in the master bathroom.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 Am I understanding this correctly, the mantis is actually closing himself in his holes? When it comes out is it moving the shell/rock to come out and putting it back while it's out and about or does it leave it open so it can get back in real quick? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Grog Posted April 11, 2012 Author Share Posted April 11, 2012 I have not witnessed the mantis blocking the holes to his caverns, but some days there are chunks of rock in front of his entrance and some days not. Either him or the damsels. I have witnessed him toss stuff out of his cave. (Food he didn't like or want). I have seen him bust up rocks but never moving the rock to the entrance. I just see the result. I will move one and see if it gets dragged back into what he feels is the proper location. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Grog Posted April 11, 2012 Author Share Posted April 11, 2012 And he has many entrances to his under ground cave. He is not blocking all entrances, just what I would call the front door. He has not totally barricaded himself in, yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 Any updates? Has the mantis taught you any new tricks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bige Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 Or pics!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Grog Posted June 11, 2012 Author Share Posted June 11, 2012 haha, He hides in the cave 90% of the time. Pops out when I put food in the water, grabs the food, and goes back into hiding. Damsels are still in the tank. He has reduced the clean up crew some... I feed him infrequently, in an attempt to get him to prowl for food. I think it is happening as the hermits have slowly disappeared over time. I'll try and snap a picture of him this week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 I'm dissapointed, I thought it would have you doing sumersaults by now! Hermits usually thin out over time anyway even without outside help. I'm pretty sure they're failry canabalistic and if they catch one of their associates as it's molting they won't hesitate to do it in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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