Mantis ID (video)...

[djborrmann]

I'm new to mantis keeping. I have this mantis in a 30Gal glass tank. He is about 5.5 inches. Is this a standard "peacock". Don't know the scientific name. Sorry about the cloudy video. He/she really kicks up the sand when he's walking around.

Can I feed the mantis a crayfish/lobster that is larger than he, or will the lobster/crayfish do damage to the mantis? I just wanted to give him/her a treat (and see the mantis feed), but if it's no treat, I won't bother.

Also, there are white patches on the tail. You can see it on the video. Is this a shell disease, or is this normal?

http://homepage.mac.com/WebObjects/FileSharing.woa/wa/default?user=jasonborrmann&templatefn=FileSharing10.html&xmlfn=TKDocument.10.xml&sitefn=RootSite.xml&aff=consumer&cty=US&lang=en

Thanks.
Jason Borrmann

[djborrmann]

Try here instead...

http://homepage.mac.com/jasonborrmann/FileSharing12.html

Jason

[RogueCorps]

Hey Jason,

Guessing by color, I'd say that it's a Male Odontodactylus Scyllarus (Peacock). I can't make out any markings on it's tail but the shell disease on our O.S. when we got her was orange including one hole completely through her shell above one dactyl. I think more than just white spots, look for deterioration on the shell. Pretty cool video tho.

IMO trying to feed it an animal much larger than it is just unnecessarily risking injury. It's also way more food than it can probably handle and any excess will pollute the tank. I believe in one of Roy's posts he stated that mantises will attack prey for the greatest calorie benefit and least effort to kill first, so while O.S.s are more than capable of taking out bigger animals they'd probably defend against one before choosing to eat one. The thing that worries me most is that eye stalks don't grow back if decapitated.

I just wouldn't chance the life of a pet for a little gladiatorial entertainment.

-Rogue :)

[Gonodactylus]

Nice video. THere is no sign of shell disease in this male O. s. If you don't already have a dark burrow for it, I would suggest getting it one soon.

Any food item larger than a 3/4 inch cube would be too much to give this animal at one time. It could kill a crayfish or lobster its own size, but then you would be left with 90% of a dead decapod.

Roy

[natybug]

Originally posted by Gonodactylus
...If you don't already have a dark burrow for it, I would suggest getting it one soon.
Roy

Sorry to head off on a tangent... but how critical is 'dark'? My 5" O.s. is using some four inch white PVC and I've been thinking about getting her some black 3" instead. Is it worth the stress to change it or since it's already there should I just leave it alone?
Thanks, Dr. Roy, you are AWESOME!!!

[Gonodactylus]

We use white, black and gray. I think dark is better to prevent disease and color change, but I would only really worry about using white if I was using high intensity lighting for a reef tank.

Roy

[djborrmann]

Rogue,

OK. No gladitorial stuff. I love him far to much to subject him to that.

Roy,

Thanks for the ID. Yes, I do have a nice burrow for him that I built with a few cool pieces of live rock. Actually, I should say I built it first, then he did a complete remodel. It was actually amazing to watch. I am half tempted to mess it up again, just so I can video him rebuilding to his own specs. It was truly great. I guess I won't bother him though. He seems to be comfortable in his surroundings. He does hang out almost exclusively in his burrow, but every once in a while he just goes out for a stroll. If I make any sudden moves he is pretty much gone, but if I'm still, it makes for decent video.

Another question however. I have a little 2 inch green mantis living in a rock near the entrance to his burrow. They seem to be co-existing quite nicely. I'm not sure the big one could get to the little one if he tried. Any problem with these two in the same tank? Again, it seems to work.

Thanks all!

Jason Borrmann

[Gonodactylus]

O.s. will kill and eat other stomatopods, but if the gonodactylid has a good, tight burrow, it can probably survive. The only problem might come when the gonodactylid molts. The odor of a molting stomatopod really sets off an O.s. and I have seen them smash a rock to bits to open a cavity and get a new molt. A

I guess it really depends on how attached you are to the small mantis if you want to risk it. It is funny how are perspective changes given species, holding conditions, etc. I have small Odontodactylus havanensis and O. latirostris living alone in 100 gal tanks and I would be really unhappy if anything happened to them. On the other hand, I feed gonodactylids to my blue-rings (and vice versa) as part of experiments with no hesitation.

Roy