PDA

View Full Version : my mantis wont eat


heathlindner25
05/12/2013, 03:02 PM
I've had him for about a month and a half , and has always eaten well. but for the last two weeks he hasn't eaten much? nitrates and phosphates on low, trates below 5? any thoughts? I just put a coral banded in there and he showed no interest. thank you in advance

simonedi
05/12/2013, 04:34 PM
he might be preparing to molt? is he re building his burrow or anything? or any other canges in activity?

heathlindner25
05/12/2013, 04:50 PM
he might be preparing to molt? is he re building his burrow or anything? or any other canges in activity?

how long does the molting process? he has been closing his hole up with rock, is it really long drawn out procedure for him to molt. I'm just worried about him I can keep the reef tank SPS dominant thriving, I would hope I can keep a mantis tank. do they stop eating before a molt? and can they live peacefully with coral banded shrimp?

Fartin'Gary
05/12/2013, 05:01 PM
Mine stops taking food before a molt. She was hold up in her burrow for a week recently. They will usually kill any crabs, shrimp, snails, clams, and sometimes fish you put in with them.

heathlindner25
05/12/2013, 05:09 PM
Mine stops taking food before a molt. She was hold up in her burrow for a week recently. They will usually kill any crabs, shrimp, snails, clams, and sometimes fish you put in with them.

well she has not attacked the shrimp? should I be worried?

Fartin'Gary
05/12/2013, 06:55 PM
After a molt they are still soft. Their body take some time to harden. They won't be aggressive until this happens. Although I still have a peppermint shrimp that has managed to stay alive for several months. I think she gave up on it because it hides in the rocks and I feed her anyway so she doesn't have the need per say to go all out to get it. If your mantis is well fed there is a chance it won't go for the shrimp right away.

I wouldn't worry if I were you. There wouldn't be anything you could do anyways if your water is correct.

heathlindner25
05/12/2013, 07:16 PM
Coral banded is walking around like there's no problem. I just put a astrena snail in there and he smashed it all the hell and ate it . I m ight be feeding him too much...lol so in all your experience are these animals pretty hearty....

Fartin'Gary
05/12/2013, 07:21 PM
Yes a lot of them are. Especially the intertidal species. What kind do you have?

heathlindner25
05/12/2013, 08:04 PM
Yes a lot of them are. Especially the intertidal species. What kind do you have?

Peacock, is this species Hardy?

noidster
05/12/2013, 10:45 PM
Peacocks aren't known to be as hardy as most but they are still pretty resilient. Is your peacock in an sps dominant reef tank?

heathlindner25
05/13/2013, 04:56 AM
No, 20 long with low lighting.

noidster
05/13/2013, 09:09 AM
Cool I was worried it may be in a high light tank. Sounds like it is just a picky eater. Lol

Fartin'Gary
05/13/2013, 10:14 AM
As long as the water is clean and there are no metals like copper in it everything should be fine. Are you running carbon in the filter? I use a carbon pad just to be sure there is no copper. I use R/O and distilled water only.

Dr. Roy says he feeds 4 times per week. You could do less if you wanted. They can go without food for a while and if there are things in there for them to eat then they will eat it, no question.
I put a sally light foot crab in with mine and my wife and I sat and watched in anticipation. Nothing happened. The next day there were pieces of the crab all over the place. I kind of felt ripped off since I didn't get to see it lol.

It sounds like it's just used to you feeding it and it doesn't want to spend the energy having to work for it' meal. It will kill that shrimp in time if there is no place for it to hide.

Maleci
05/13/2013, 10:15 AM
Yeah depending where it is in the molt process. Mine just went through her first molt since I've had her and stopped really eating for the week prior and has been picky afterwords but is slowly getting her apatite back as she hardens up again.

Fartin'Gary
05/13/2013, 12:27 PM
Don't forget that they eat their molt as well and it's not unlikely that it stored food in it's den to eat as well.