+Grog Posted July 20, 2012 Author Share Posted July 20, 2012 Haven't posted an update in a while.... Looks like Bubba enjoys to eat the turbo snails. I had 5 in the tank. Lot of empty shells. lol. Even though he tore up the gorilla crab that I threw in the tank, he ignores the huge mitrhax crab that's in there. ??? The two damsels are still kicking and as skittish as ever. Urchin in the tank is growing as rapidly as the other. Bubba even ate some Formula One frozen food today. Some days he could care less about silversides but today he eats the Formula one. Strange, but maybe on those other days he had eaten a snail earlier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Well, I'm going to have to get me another tank and get me a mantis of my own! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Is he a thumper or spearer? I may have missed it in the thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Grog Posted July 20, 2012 Author Share Posted July 20, 2012 Thumper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Grog Posted October 24, 2012 Author Share Posted October 24, 2012 Today was my once-a-week time to feed Bubba the mantis. Took some time messing with a new rotational powerhead thing I picked up online and noticed everyone but the red crab was hiding. No mantis, no damsels, etc. Just the red crab and the gorg. Hmmm... So I do my clean up and install the new pump, and thaw out some silversides. Put the silversides in the tank and no mantis. Wave it around for a few minutes, and finally my red crab goes for it. Crab doesn't eat it, kind of sits on top of it, almost hoarding it, so I push him off and shove the silversides next to the entrance to the mantis' cave. That gets his attention! He pops out, and slowly drags the silversides back in. Two things are worth noting. First, he has stayed green after his latest molt. I had read that more intense lighting causes this particular mantis species to stay greenish, while darker conditions cause them to turn red. Seems to be true. Previous molts he has turned brick red in about two days. We are a week into this molt and he is a bright green. Molts are occurring every 6-8 weeks. Water changes seem to influence his molts too. Second, usually he is quick to grab food and quick to go back into his cave. He was slow about both. My assumption was that he is still settling in after the tank upgrade, and feeling a bit skittish in his new home. Later, I'm brushing my teeth and peeking at the tank. (Love having the tank on the bathroom sink, gives me lots of viewing time.) Bubba took this opportunity to shove the remains of the silversides out of his cave. I'm thinking, "Looks odd, he must have chewed it up. Guess, he's done. Don't want to leave that in the tank, so I'll grab some chopsticks and remove it." Head to the kitchen and get clean chopsticks, and reach in the tank to get the silversides out and it dawns on me why it looked strange. He didn't toss silversides out of his cave. He had tossed the front half of one of my damsels out of the cave! No wonder why he didn't respond when I went to feed him, he already had a meal today! The other damsel is even more skittish than normal. Probably wondering when his number is up.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted October 24, 2012 Share Posted October 24, 2012 This has certainly been a fascinating thread, how big is the mantis now? I guess the next question is what would have happened if you kept adding more snails or hermits. And why hasn't it taken out the mithrax? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Grog Posted October 24, 2012 Author Share Posted October 24, 2012 Not much larger from when I got him, maybe a half an inch longer and a little wider. My guess is this damsel got a little too cozy in the cave with him when he was hungry. The damsels really like to hide in little cubby holes, I'm thinking it chose the wrong spot at the wrong time. I didn't actually see it get killed so, it could have been ill/died and then attacked but the other damsel has no signs of disease so I'm not leaning that direction. (Body of the one that was eaten was pretty well gone.. Far enough gone that I mistook it for the silversides! ) There are still a few red legged hermits, two porcelain, and two very very small unknown crabs. One big snail (Mexican turbo? I can never get the snails straight.) Don't know why they haven't been eaten yet. MItrhrax is large now, in between silver and half dollar size. I'm thinking that may be part of the reason, or maybe Bubba doesn't like the taste of mithrax. Or wants some Old Bay! Don't get me wrong, I like my main tank, but this is my favorite tank that I've put together. It is especially enjoyable since so much in the tank is low-cost, hitchhiker, or free. Inexpensive can be interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Haha so true! It's like giving a kid a shiney present and watching them play with the box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Grog Posted December 23, 2012 Author Share Posted December 23, 2012 Put an orchid dottyback in with the mantis last night. Couldn't find it this morning. Looked around and it didn't jump. Was worried the mantis at it. This evening the dottyback is around and swimming happily. Must have been hidden really well. lol I'm still concerned it may become a midnight snack for Bubba though. Pretty fish. Will take a picture when it sits still for a bit. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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