G. Ternatensis Info

[mdavis203]

I'm pondering a mantis for my Biocube 14 that's currently cycling. As much as I'd love a peacock, they're just too big for this tank. Others have suggested wennerae and smitthi, which both look nice. But I'm not real crazy about the single-color look of most of the wennearae pics I've seen, and I can't seem to find a smitthi available at the moment. However, I've seen some ternatensis available (albeit at a high price). They seem to be prettier than either of these two, and would be fine in a 14 gallon. However, I don't hear much talk about them. Does anyone have experience with these guys they'd like to share?

FYI... my stocking plan is a few softies, some LPS, and maybe SPS (I've done an LED mod, so lighting isn't an issue). Also, I'll probably put in a percula (to please wife and kid) and maybe a six-line wrasse. Also, I'll have a CUC, which I do realize I'll have to constantly replenish if I get a smasher.

[Alesia]

I can't say I've kept a ternatensis before, but if you're looking for a smithii -- bluezooaquatics.com is claiming to have at least one "Purple-spot mantis" for sale on their website. I can't tell you whether or not it's accurate, but they seem to try and sort out mantis species. Also depends on your budget, of course.

http://www.bluezooaquatics.com/productDetail.asp?did=2&pid=1224&cid=84

[Jim Morrison]

I have a tern. and i like her just as much if not more than my smithiis. They get large though about 5 inches so a 14g isnt that big for one but would probably be ok. She is very intereactive and always comes out to see what im doing when im in the room. Mine is very aggressive and loves to eat fish so i wont recommend putting them with one but you can give it a try. Mine also likes to remodel her house and is constantly carrying rubble around filling in gaps in her burrow which is neat to watch. I would recommend getting one.

[mdavis203]

Would you consider your tern even more interactive than your smithiis?

[Jim Morrison]

Its hard to say my smithiis are active but they seem to do there own thing. They run around the tank and are out a lot but only focus on me when they are hungry. My tern. on the other hand watches me all the time and almost always comes out when im in the room, even in the middle of the night. Shes not scared of me or my hand when its in the tank. Shes even gone after my hand instead of the food that was on the end of the tweezers. I would recommend getting the tern. because they are more uncommon then a smithii.

[lionbacker54]

i think i visit this site too much. as soon as i read your post, i thought to myself "jim morrison has a tern, and he's really happy with it, i think." sure enough, his post soon followed. definitely spend too much time here...

[Jim Morrison]

lol dont feel bad I do to.

[micstarz]

I'd say Pseudosquilla ciliata is a pretty good choice. They aren't that personable IME though. G. glabrous is a pretty good, if not rare, choice...

[mdavis203]

Ciliata look like an interesting dude, but it may be a little large for my 14 gallon (according to Roy's list). Also, since I'd like to keep a couple of fish in the tank as well, I think it'd be better to keep away from spearers. I know even with a smasher it's not guaranteed, but it's probably easier than with a spearer.

Also, probably my most important trait I'm looking for is a species that's personable and interactive. Again, I know they're all individuals, but some species are more so than others.

[micstarz]

Glad to see that you know what you're talking about even before you've purchased your mantis! If you can find a G. glabrous, snatch it immediately! They seem to be uncommon in the pet trade and in my limited experience, very very interactive and glass tank safe. Mine is very very bold and is a lazy (but clever hunter). Whenever there is movement outside of the tank, she is there to do her meral display. They are always (often) out and about but strike with moderate force (The aquarium glass has stood up to at least 200 blows and my thumb has taken 2)

[justinl]

G. glabrous, G. graphurus, G. smithii, N. wennerae are all good choices and are all very interactive and active.

I do NOT recommend G. ternatensis due to their collection method; G. ternatensis lives in burrows in live coral heads so a collector has to pick up a full coral head and smash it open to get the mantis out. Plus they usually aren't as active as the species listed above.

[block head]

my g tern was a hitchhiker and lived at a lfs for years untill it smacked the owner. rescued her from death row. mine was very interactive but it seemed fine in a ten gallon. she was about 4" . i would get another if they were not $80 at stomodopod. she seemed very hardy, and dealt well with several rookie mistakes i made in the begining.

[lionbacker54]

yikes! i forgot about that with the terns. yeah dude, definitely recommend another mantis. how about the n. wennerae? they sound like a load of fun, and are hardy enough to be very happy in your 14g. they are virtually aquacultured too, as tampa bay saltwater finds them all the time in their aquacultured rocks.

[Thurge]

G. tern is probably not what you want for that tank.
In the wild they live IN coral heads so keeping coral with this species may not be a good idea. Also they are supposed to be VERY aggressive. I have heard of several people that were unable to keep anything that moved, in a tank with a G. tern.

[justinl]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14674038#post14674038 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Thurge
I have heard of several people that were unable to keep anything that moved, in a tank with a G. tern.

yup, that's true, I had forgotten about that.

[mdavis203]

Huh... Well, I certainly don't want something that attacks anything that moves. Maybe a Smitthi is the better choice, although I like the look of the terns better.

Can anyone vouch firsthand about this behaviour from the G. Tern.?

[justinl]

btw, G. smithii also occasionally has the red intersegmental lines, just like G. ternatensis. Not often, but they happen. here's a terrible pic of the G. smithii I owned.

http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v71/214/109/116200608/n116200608_30835348_6801.jpg

[block head]

can't say much about other mantis ,but my g tern was kept for years in a lfs tank w/ fish. she would eat from your hand if she knew u, or would attack/hide if u were a stranger. she was protective of her burrow . i was hit with a lite warning blow while cleaning near her burrow. she nailed the lfs owner(stranger) drew blood and her finger was numb for hours. dr roy would know better than i would. the 2 g terns i've seen locally, came in as hitchhikers. the demand for g terns does not seem that significant. i would hate to see coral destroyed for there collection. moneywise it would seem that poccipora is worth more than the mantis. not sure who would smash and leave hundreds of dollars worth of coral for a mantis that is only worth a few dollars.

[Jim Morrison]

Thats one of the reasons i like them so much there always hungry and always ready to fight haha. There are a lot of other good chioces too though. Get a red smithii like this.

http://i362.photobucket.com/albums/oo64/Birds000/Mantis2.jpg

[mdavis203]

I was kinda wondering myself why someone would smash a coral head to get a mantis that's much less expensive. Maybe they are fragging a larger coral to get smaller corals to sell?

I really like the look of that smitthi. If I could find a WYSISYG smitthi that looked like that online, I'd snatch it up.

I does seem line the tern. is more interactive, though... which is a big positive to me.

[justinl]

According to Dr. Roy, N. wennerae and G. smithii are generally more interactive/active than G. ternatensis. Considering he's kept more mantids than any of us combined, I'd trust his opinion.

[block head]

that red smitthi looks like it would fight the devil. either one would be cool.

[lionbacker54]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14683356#post14683356 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by block head
that red smitthi looks like it would fight the devil. either one would be cool.

rofl!

[mdavis203]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14683334#post14683334 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by justinl
According to Dr. Roy, N. wennerae and G. smithii are generally more interactive/active than G. ternatensis. Considering he's kept more mantids than any of us combined, I'd trust his opinion.

Really? Where does he have a comparison? I've looked at his list but didn't realy see where he compared the interactivity of the different species. I'd love to see that.

What little i've found to read about g. tern. says they're more interactive, but I'd love to see what dr. Roy has to say.

[mdavis203]

Dr. Roy, what's your take on the interactivity of a tern compared with a smithii?

[Tangalong]

Why don't they take take the piece of coral the tern is using and bring it with him ?? It would make for a good sale I'm sure...don't know anything about keeping corals so may be a dumb question, but makes sense to me.

[Jim Morrison]

I think the damage done to the reef to harvest terns is minimal considering the damage done buy pollution, overfishing, and all the other ways the locals abuse there natural resourse.