Day 3 in the lifa of a mantis

[Guygettnby]

so it is now day 3 that i have had my new friends and they both seem to be very happy with there new habitat. i was kinda scared at first to put the 2 in the same tank together but they came from the same tank were i bought them and have been living together for at least 2 weeks that i know of.

i am actualy quite surprised at how much i am facinated with these little guys and how much enjoyment i get outa watching them. they seem to love mysis shrimp at this time and they love to play with the small snails i put in there tank. so far they have not eaten them, they toss them around and just sit and wait for them to move so they can do it again.

i have 1 emerald crab in the tank with them now that is about the same size as them and they dont seem to be interested in it, they have smaked it a few times but only to let it run away. is the emerald crab shell to hard for smaller mantis shrimp? mine are about 1-1 1/2 inches?

[Gonodactylus]

In a complex larger aquarium with lots of suitable cavity, two small gonodactylids can coexist, sometimes for months. However, their is always the chance that eventually one with molt and will be killed by the other. You should view this arrangement as temporary. If you don't remove one of these animals, there is a very good probability that its tank mate will.

Roy

[G.SMITHII]

BATTLEDOME!!

parts of me have always wanted to do it, but this whole morality and respect for life thing really gets in the way.

i wonder who would win a spearer or smasher of equal size?

If you don't remove one of these animals, there is a very good probability that its tank mate will.


:eek2: thats bad news bears, my mantis is as pampered as my cat, maybe even a lil more so. i dont think id risk it.

good luck with that!! it would be cool if they tolorated eachother though

[Guygettnby]

they both have there own little areas of the tank and seem to be respecting each other. my biggest thing is i dont have the room for a bigger tank at the moment or even another tank at that.

from me keeping a good eye on them for about 2-3 weeks now at the place were i bought them these 2 seemed to always be in close quarters of each other. this is my first mantis tank and it will be a learning experience for me. if i start to notice hostility towards each other then i will seperate them.

[Guygettnby]

here is the best picture i have gotten of 1 of my new mantis. i cant seem to get a good picture of the other one yet. he likes to hide under his rock that he has made home. he only comes out when there is food around his new den.

http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/6439/img0044to8.th.jpg (http://img394.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0044to8.jpg)

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/2016/img0043bv0.th.jpg (http://img101.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0043bv0.jpg)

[Diet Plain]

looks like Neogonodactylus Wennerae. Nice mantis!

[G.SMITHII]

MAN IT SEEMS PRETTY COOL.

that'd be tight if they had formed an alliance. what if they like hunted togeather and such.

good luck!! your set up seems to be pretty sweet!

[Guygettnby]

thanks for all the comments, i hope everything goes well with it the way it is. they finally ate the emerald crab i gave them.

i would be in heaven if they did for an alliance. the black one has just made a cover for his den? he closes his den up after he eats and when the lights are turned off. i will see if i can snap a good picture of it.

[Guygettnby]

i finally got a picture of my red mantis to show you. not the greatest but will have to do for now.

http://img108.imageshack.us/img108/6973/img0051zj8.th.jpg (http://img108.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0051zj8.jpg)

[WILDTHING]

boy he's nice, what do you think he is?

[Gonodactylus]

N. wennerae

[Guygettnby]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10150405#post10150405 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Gonodactylus
N. wennerae

i was doing some reading on them and was wondering if they are N. Wennerae, how do i know what color they would change too? i dont see anything about black coloring in your description?

also how would i keep my red mantis red? What is the best food to feed them so they have a long healthy life?

thanks for the info Dr. Roy

[Pea-brain]

under normal ligting expect both to turn green if they are N. wennerae.

[Guygettnby]

i figured i would update the people who were interested in me having the 2 mantis in 1 tank. they are both doing fine and 1 has just finished molting and is back to normal activity. have had no problems with them fighting at all. they even have a new tank mate, a yellow watchman goby. the YWM even joins in on the fun when its feeding time, he likes to come up from behind and attack the feeder shrimp while the mantis is whacking at it....lol... pretty cool to watch.