well.....this sucks.....

[Pea-brain]

Now my yellow P. ciliata, Knives (named after the anime character from Trigun) is dead. His hole has been open day and night for 4-6 days. I hoped that he made the hole, but knew he didn't. I put frozen silversides outside the hole and hoped it was him pulling them down...but knew it was the snails tackling the food and the current pushing it down....I decided to pick up his rock, to finally know...and therewas his carapace. Only that and some scraps left of him. No idea what killed him, but suspect failed molt. the snails and worms and stuff cleaned him out. He isn't hiding under any other rocks. He was acting strange. He wouldn't come out and was being very seclusive. The only major change? His salt mix. IHe has been through 2 molts so far and now this one coupled with the death of my G. chiragra....I"m going to switch salt brands and am going to get my water tested. I don't know what I'm going to do then. A local LFS has a Bluestripe pipefish eating cyclopeeze...I hope to get another mantis...

Dan

[Diet Plain]

Sorry for your loss and goodluck on finding a new mantis.

[bill999]

That sucks sorry man.

[Thurge]

Sorry to hear about Knives.

[SNAKEMANVET]

sorry for your lose, hope you get another one soon.

[408mike]

I have a yellow one you can have if you want it never comes out and I would rather have something personable.

[Pea-brain]

I'm not getting another mantis until I get my water tested and change my salt mix (Seriously, anyone here keeping mantises with coralife salt?) but if you're sure I might take it off your hands later if you want :D And thanks everybody. Sometimes stuff like this just happens, and I going to find the problem if there is one, fix it and get back on my feet as soon as possible. In fact, if I can get my water tested in the next couple of weeks I can get a mantis when I go down to connecticut on the 7th :D

Dan

[Diet Plain]

Love to help you on your salt mix question, but I buy my water pre-mixed. I've also had problems keeping mantids in my 12g biocube. seems ay inverts that go in there are doomed. Everything else is fine.. corals/fish/macroalage. its the weirdest thing.

[DanInSD]

I had a similar experience where I lost two Peacocks. I ended up tearing the tank down and starting over. Now all is well. I never found out what the problem was...

Dan

[Pea-brain]

Did you end up using the same tank, or did you buy a new one? Did you reuse anything from the tank? I'd really hate to tear my ten down and start from scratch again. It really is looking good and I have yet to have algae problems. It would just be a shame for four months of aging to go down the drain. If I tore down I would probably get algae probs too. Oh well in a few weeks I'm moving my room down to the basement in a better planned out and slightly larger room.....

Dan

[408mike]

Why don't you just buy sea water? I buy mine cheap like 8 bucks for 20 gallons locally.

[Pea-brain]

heh. You haven't been to my area of Maine lately, have you? The closest LFS is a petco. No seawater there. Next closes place is roughly. next closest place is about an hour away. It kinda sucks up here. And its cold :D

Dan