Shy Mantis

[jules77]

I have one of the lime green from F&S and since I have had him he is always hiding and I never am able to enjoy watching him it all. I am wondering if some are just more sociable than others? or are there methods to draw them out on a day to day basis that will make it more comfortable with my presence? Thaks for the help!

I have tried using my tongs to take food near his burrow which is inside a piece of rock. He comes out briefly but scurries back to his hole quickly.

[ReefGeekster]

Some are more nocturnal leaving the light off might help. My O.S. comes out all the time when the light is off wether day or night.

[sandlot13]

how long have you had him? maybe hes just not used to his surroundings. give him some time to warm up, eventually he will have to come out ;)

[Hutton]

mine came out for the first time today. some are more active than others. give him a couple more days and he will come out.

[jules77]

have had him for a couple months, but just moved him from one tank to another. All the rock is the same, as well as his tank mates. The only difference is better lighting NO to PC. He didnt come out much before the move either. On a positive he was out on top of his rock when I got home last night but slipped back into the rocks within a few minutes. I was thinking of putting music on in my fish room during the days so he gets used to hearing odd noises.

[sandlot13]

great idea with the music!! ya, i wouldnt fret too much, he will come out when he wants to play. I got my mantis last week, and right now he is in the process of making multiple bunkers outside of his base that he can run to for safe hiding. amazing little creatures these guys are

[Crawling68]

Jules77, remember that upgrading lights for your tank is like downgrading for your mantis. Mantis live in caves and burrows were its nice and dark, the brighter you have it, the less youll see him.

[Uriel]

Originally posted by jules77
On a positive he was out on top of his rock when I got home last night but slipped back into the rocks within a few minutes. I was thinking of putting music on in my fish room during the days so he gets used to hearing odd noises.

They usually get more outgoing with time, and with activity in the area. If he is used to massive (you) creatures lumbering by and peeking in, then he may start to not freak (bolt into his hole) every time you do.

My mantis:

Baron Munchausen,3' G. viridis: Still a scardy-cat...never comes out. :( I've had him for just over a year. He does come out from time to time to wage war upon the heater and the thermometer (I replaced the glass ones after he killed two of them).

Baba-Yaga, 4" G. ternatensis, very active from the start. Likes to observe me, re-arrange her tank,smack at the wall from time to time.
I've had her 9 months or so.

Glaurung, 3.5" G. platysoma. Despite what people say about this species being a hide-all-the-time sort of mantis, mine is out quite a lot. He likes to swim all over the place. Maybe the Gods wanted to balance out the Baron's personality.Picked him up at the same time that I got Baba-Yaga,9 months.

Dagon,4" O.scyllarus (Peacock). very active, patrols, builds, likes watching people, especially likes getting into staring contests with Perci, one of my cats.I will get a picture soon, btw...
Had him 6 months or so.

Lo Pan (R.I.P.) 2" N. wennerae. very active.

Freya.3" G. chiraga medium activity, she stays in her burrow most of the time, but when i introduce food, she isn't shy about coming out to hunt it down. had her about 5 months.

Hydra,5" O.scyllarus. very active, not shy at all. In fact, when i tap on the glass and show the feeding stick, he darts over like a puppy begging for a biscuit. I am almost convinced that he had a previous owner,he is so 'socialized'. the LFS said that they got him directly from a distributor, however. 2 Months or so.

Achilles,3" G. chiraga (I think). Very active...in fact he whacked me, and it stll hurts (I probably have a light bone bruise).Aggressive towards me (whacked the tank as well), but not shy at all. I have some very cool new pics of him(her?). Achilles even lays about on the sand in the open, not shy at all.
Had Achilles less than 2 weeks now.

Typhon,2.5" G. graphurus (most likely). Aggressive, semi-active.
He was the product of my indecision between him and Achilles, so he got the 1.5 gallon hex for now (lots of filtration,minimal bio-load,so nobody panic). He hides,peeks ut...I caught him standing on a rock last weekend, peering at Achilles in the next tank over (Tank envy?).

Hope that may have helped a bit.

BTW, they don't have ears, so music,per se isn't going to do much to them. They do feel vibration, however, so if it is a bass-heavy style...hip-hop, drum-n-bass, I play Death Metal (both on myguitars, as well as on my stereo), then they may notice it. I moved my amplifier into another room (Loud amplifier,8x12 " speakers...), so as not to disturb them or my little goby/pistol shrimp in another tank.

Sorry for the lengthy post, hopefully you will get some help from my various mantis' activity levels.

Just be patient, not every mantis is a Baron Munchausen.

-Ron

[sandlot13]

wow, great post! thats sooooo many tanks!!! i envy you! haha, but ya, just got mine, not to sure what specie it is, kinda young still, but ill try to get pics up on the forum sometime soon

[ReefGeekster]

Originally posted by Uriel


Dagon,4" O.scyllarus (Peacock). very active, patrols, builds, likes watching people, especially likes getting into staring contests with Perci, one of my cats.I will get a picture soon, btw...
Had him 6 months or so.


Hydra,5" O.scyllarus. very active, not shy at all. In fact, when i tap on the glass and show the feeding stick, he darts over like a puppy begging for a biscuit. I am almost convinced that he had a previous owner,he is so 'socialized'. the LFS said that they got him directly from a distributor, however. 2 Months or so.


-Ron

What kind of tank(s) are the Peacocks in?

[Uriel]

Both peacocks are in Eclipse 12 gallon tanks.

Both will soon be in 29 gallon acrylic tanks.

[ReefGeekster]

Originally posted by Uriel
Both peacocks are in Eclipse 12 gallon tanks.

Both will soon be in 29 gallon acrylic tanks.

Are they in the same tank? Or each have their own tank.

[sandlot13]

he says "tanks" so im guessing that means more than one...... ;)

[jules77]

Originally posted by Crawling68
Jules77, remember that upgrading lights for your tank is like downgrading for your mantis. Mantis live in caves and burrows were its nice and dark, the brighter you have it, the less youll see him.

This tank is much deeper -20 hex and the PC 96W is hardly enough for any corals. I am not thinking this is a huge factor but I will think about it.