I need your help

[rhiggsbear]

I recently received some live rock from the Gulf and happened to get a small mantis. It is about 1.5 to 2" long and a kind of molted grayish color. I was going to flush it when I had second thoughts and decided to keep it.

So, here my question. I have a 5 gal tank, a 10 gal tank and a 20 gal tank that I can use for it, all glass. I also have a BakPak skimmer but it will only fit the 20 gal unless I raise the 10. I think it would be too big for the 5 gal.

So, which should I use?

Also, what should I use for gravel/sand. I have some coarse (1/8" to 3/8") shell gravel (looks like Carib Sea Crushed Coral) or I can buy some small size substrate but it is still not small like Southdown or Caribbean Aragonite.

What do you think? I will also being sticking a couple pieces of live rock in there.

Any help will be appreciated.


Thanks
BobH

[Angel*Fish]

You might post a photo in the mantis forum and see if it can be IDed...different mantis's have different needs
From what I understand mantis's tend to be rather hardy - which is how he survived on the LR - and it's so small that it's not going to create a huge bioload, seems like you could use LR and a powerhead in a 10g

My mantis used large grainy sand bits to close up his hole in the LR at night. I had him in a little 3g eclipse and he was fine until the tank seriously overheated one day when our a/c went out

Definately look up the website: A Lurker's Guide to Stomatopods!

HTH:D

[rhiggsbear]

Ok, lets see if you can ID this guy

[rhiggsbear]

Here is another. He snapped and almost came right out of the dish.

[rhiggsbear]

No body knows anything about this little critter???? :(

Oh, and I guess he is more brown than grayish. Get him in some light and he turned out to be a different color.

[Gonodactylus]

Well, I can tell you that it is a Neogonodactylus and is not N. bredini or N. wennerae. My guess would be N. torus or N. oerstedii. If you get a chance to look at the meral spot, that should provide fairly conclusive evidnece. It the spot has a purple to purplish grey color, it is N. oerstedii. If it is white, it is probably N. torus.

Roy

[Angel*Fish]

Regarding post by Roy
Was that good or what!!!
Where else could you go but RC to find such expert info?!
I bet you can get some info on what your little guys likes and needs in the way of care, too ...:D

[rhiggsbear]

mantisagogo

You are absolutly right!!!. Thank is one of the thing I really like about RC.

THANK YOU VERY MUCh, ROY!!!!!

As for info on what my little guy like, I haven't had much luck but I am still searching. If anyone wants to clue me in, it will be appreciated.

Again, thanks Roy. The info is much appreciated.

Keep Reefin
BobH

[rhiggsbear]

mantisagogo

You are absolutely right!!!. That is one of the thing I really like about RC.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ROY!!!!!

As for info on what my little guy like, I haven't had much luck but I am still searching. If anyone wants to clue me in, it will be appreciated.

Again, thanks Roy. The info is much appreciated.


Keep Reefin
BobH

[Kara]

I have an N. oerstedii who is wonderful and packed with personality! The tank I have him in has a sand substrate of about 2.5" with several pieces of LR (tongs branch and typical fiji chunk). Roy (my mantis) spends his days examining everything in the tank, knocking the hermits, snails and emerald crab I have in the tank about and re-arranging his tunnels.

As far as food, I use a bamboo skewer to feed him and feed him every other day. The foods I feed him are: sea scallop, octopus tenticle, squid, silverside, krill and prawn (cut into 1/4" chunk, he gets 1 chunk) that has been soaked in selcon overnight. He's not too crazy about the octopus and I think he prefers the silversides, krill and scallop.

Every once in a while I put a live small damsel in there and Roy will eventually knock it on the head and eat it, usually within 2 weeks.

Here is my mantis' webpage (http://www.karaquarium.com/mantis.htm).

[Angel*Fish]

Kara - Checked out your website
What a cutie! At least that was my reaction after my initial gasp;)
You gotta love those mantis shrimps!