Gertie- my girl is gone.

[MarieH]

I think there is a macro algae vendor online. I saw it once while I was surfing the net. wish I had access to order from the states. it's quite spendy to buy Canada side if you find anything good. I'll try to find it again they had a wide selection.

[aviator300]

As you all know if you've read my thread I had wonderful creepy crawlies that came in with my Uncured Live Rock from KP Aquatics on Halloween. I wanted uncured because I wanted some critters. There were 3 in my rock. That was just fantastic.

 

Here they are. The green is .5 inches.

 

This is an excerpt about it from someone on the internet.

 

They are the most common species that hitchhikes in on live rock. They change color depending on environment, and can range from bright green to brown to maroon. They only grow to about 3", and are relatively peaceful for a mantis. They can't hit hard enough to break thick-shelled snails or hermits. They are also more active than the chiragra species, and are often out exploring the tank. She loves to eat krill from a bamboo skewer.

 

Now my latest pics. Blown up because it's only .5 inches.

 

 

 

This one is 3/4". It may very well be that the this one is also the same variety as it can be maroon also. I also gave the same coloring and 1" to FlCandy who helped me unpack my rock and also found some bad isopods.

 

 

 

 

Here is their future home. It's the 20g that I couldn't use as a sump/fuge for the 34 as it wouldn't fit the stand it came with. The 34 also came w/ a suction cup led light which I'm using for this tank instead.

 

Currently though they are in their own 1 c container floating in the Evolve 8 tank. Ever 2 days I change out 2/3 of the water in the container for established water in the Evolve to keep them healthy. I've given them a small scrape of frozen Reef Frenzy from LRS as it has a variety of foods. I can't tell if they're eating it though.

 

I have 10 lbs of rock in each side, only an inch so far so I need to get another inch in there. I did buy some pvc elbows or whatever they're called but the mantes are too small to put that in there. There are small pieces of live rock that they can crawl under and larger shells if they wish to crawl into those. Each has 50W heater and I just ordered an AC30 for each side as those AquaClear filters are rated for 30g a piece- I can shave down the propeller if I need to but Tamberav made a good point that I need to be able to stick inside what I need to and to have that space. The suction cup light has to sit inside the tank under the ledge and it takes up 2" of space so that is why 1/4" acrylic divider couldn't go all the way up. But anyway, probably is good if there's some space before the top of the tank as I know they can leap/swim. I still have to do something for a lid. The light has the 50/50 led and then flip to blue setting but with the turn of a knob you can put a covering over the light so it can still dim it .

 

I'm going to put some macros of different colors and some mushrooms more than likely. I will be growing gsp and purple clove polyps hopefully (have to buy them still) on the divider between them. Too cold to spray paint so I didn't paint the back. I can always stick the black side of those tank back wall covers on it if it bothers me. It's dark in the hallway.

 

 

Hi, Aviator here. I'm expecting an order of uncured LR from Gulf Live Rock tuesday and i have a couple questions. I want to preserve as much life on the rock as i can during the cycle and hopefully find a Mantis shrimp, etc such as you did.

I was reading your thread where you got 3 in the same shipment and i was wondering how you were able to keep them alive during your cycle of the rock. Also, i noticed you were going to use some small baskets to put the rock on to allow better circulation around it while cycling. How did that work out for you? Sorry to bug you with this question and i wasn't sure what thread to ask it on.

BTW, I spent some time near Asheville down in the Maggie valley area 2 summers ago and was stunned with the beauty after spending most of my life in AZ

[FlowerMama]

 

Hi, Aviator here. I'm expecting an order of uncured LR from Gulf Live Rock tuesday and i have a couple questions. I want to preserve as much life on the rock as i can during the cycle and hopefully find a Mantis shrimp, etc such as you did.

I was reading your thread where you got 3 in the same shipment and i was wondering how you were able to keep them alive during your cycle of the rock. Also, i noticed you were going to use some small baskets to put the rock on to allow better circulation around it while cycling. How did that work out for you? Sorry to bug you with this question and i wasn't sure what thread to ask it on.

BTW, I spent some time near Asheville down in the Maggie valley area 2 summers ago and was stunned with the beauty after spending most of my life in AZ

 

 

 

They will cover each rock for you in newspaper once or twice before they put it in one big plastic bag. They were right on top of a rock when i unraveled the newspaper. Since they weren't totally submerged (there was probably 1 inch of water on the bottom) they were kinda dazed/confused, I quickly got water from my Evolve 8 tank and scooped each one into it's own cup which I then changed out a little water each day from the cup for about 2.5 wks til my water cycled. Putting a mini pellet of food in there maybe every couple days and then continuously had it floating in the tank so it was the same temp. They're very likely to die if they're in the rock while its cycling because just like anything they're sensitive to changes. Yeah, don't do the baskets, made no difference and was really more of a pain. I thought it might be a good idea but it wasn't.

 

I don't mind questions. I went to Phoenix and Flagstaff for the first time last Nov, 1st week, very pleasant at that time of year. I loved it. And I can't get over the size of cacti out there. Crazy, taller than street light posts and fatter. I have a lot of respect for them.

[aviator300]

Thanks very much for the idea of the cups. If i have any Mantis (or any other cool critters) that i can see, i'll do the cup thing in my established tank but if they're hiding in the rocks there's not much I can do.

I am however set up to do a soft cycle with daily LARGE water changes as needed to preserve life (luckily, i'm only using a 5 gal tank). I suppose i could just buy a Mantis but this way is far more fun.

 

Thanks again: AVIATOR

[Tamberav]

Thanks very much for the idea of the cups. If i have any Mantis (or any other cool critters) that i can see, i'll do the cup thing in my established tank but if they're hiding in the rocks there's not much I can do.

I am however set up to do a soft cycle with daily LARGE water changes as needed to preserve life (luckily, i'm only using a 5 gal tank). I suppose i could just buy a Mantis but this way is far more fun.

 

Thanks again: AVIATOR

 

I got two on my gulf live rock, a pink and a green. Good luck! I hope you find some!

[aviator300]

I will know tomorrow and let you know.

[FlowerMama]

I will know tomorrow and let you know.

 

will be looking!!

[cindyp]

any gertie news?

[FlowerMama]

Oh, thanks for reminding me. Gertie did widen her hole in the rock she calls home. I forgot I heard her pounding several nights ago and 2 days ago I noticed fresh sand underneath her door.

 

Question. Would a royal gramma that hides all the time in the mantis tank be fine w/ 2 black clowns? I do worry about him a little and I'd hate to lose him to Gert one day. I wanna do something before it happens. Otherwise I have a diamond goby and ycg.. I saw my tailspot once this week so now I'm worrying about him because the clowns have taken up the back right corner and his hole in the rock was there. I don't want he to slowly be starving til he dies. I'd rather stick him back in the tank w/ the Evolve.

[FlowerMama]

Gertie's pounding away on a rock on the left side. Guess she realized her tunnel on the right side won't be enough. She's recreating something over there.

[cindyp]

Gertie's pounding away on a rock on the left side. Guess she realized her tunnel on the right side won't be enough. She's recreating something over there.

 

ok this is hilarious!

 

gertie needs her own HGTV show!

[FlowerMama]

Gert- she's still so cautious and it's been a year already.

 

[FlowerMama]

And another.

 

[FlowerMama]

Gertie's First Punch, it didn't hurt much, just a little shock. I'm sure she was intimidated by my whole hand in there versus just a finger or two.

 

[gena]

Dang!!!!! I was nervous watching . Sounded loud! I figured it didn't hurt much if you kept your hand in there even after that .

[FlowerMama]

Dang!!!!! I was nervous watching . Sounded loud! I figured it didn't hurt much if you kept your hand in there even after that .

 

Kinda like when you bump into something and it didn't hurt but you still say ouch? reflex action kinda thing.

[gena]

 

Kinda like when you bump into something and it didn't hurt but you still say ouch? reflex action kinda thing.

Yep...I do that . It sure was a loud punch though.

[FlowerMama]

I'd love it if I could get her to where she could stand on my hand or maybe when I open my hand she comes and gets the food.

[Snow_Phoenix]

Gertie's First Punch, it didn't hurt much, just a little shock. I'm sure she was intimidated by my whole hand in there versus just a finger or two.

 

 

She probably thought, "Hmm...A wall of flesh. Let's see how sturdy this is!"

 

Glad to know you weren't terribly hurt though - it did sound loud as Gena said. I was holding my breath as I watched the whole video.

[Islandoftiki]

Betty has hit my fiance and I over a dozen times and we got used to it. The first time, I did exactly what you did and said ouch, too. Then I realized it really didn't hurt at all. I have no doubt that she could have hit us much harder, but we feel like it was more of a curiosity strike to learn more about what our hands were made of. Betty also used her maxillipeds a lot to examine our hands and found a dry patch of skin a particularly interesting thing. Keep it up and she will get comfortable with your hand and may eventually perch on your hand

. It takes some time, but they are pretty smart and will figure out that hands are associated with good things and aren't dangerous.

[FlowerMama]

Betty has hit my fiance and I over a dozen times and we got used to it. The first time, I did exactly what you did and said ouch, too. Then I realized it really didn't hurt at all. I have no doubt that she could have hit us much harder, but we feel like it was more of a curiosity strike to learn more about what our hands were made of. Betty also used her maxillipeds a lot to examine our hands and found a dry patch of skin a particularly interesting thing. Keep it up and she will get comfortable with your hand and may eventually perch on your hand

. It takes some time, but they are pretty smart and will figure out that hands are associated with good things and aren't dangerous.

 

Yeah, I plan on it. Love this girl and interacting with her. yeh, I've watched your videos so many times. Loved them all.

[cindyp]

Betty has hit my fiance and I over a dozen times and we got used to it. The first time, I did exactly what you did and said ouch, too. Then I realized it really didn't hurt at all. I have no doubt that she could have hit us much harder, but we feel like it was more of a curiosity strike to learn more about what our hands were made of. Betty also used her maxillipeds a lot to examine our hands and found a dry patch of skin a particularly interesting thing. Keep it up and she will get comfortable with your hand and may eventually perch on your hand

. It takes some time, but they are pretty smart and will figure out that hands are associated with good things and aren't dangerous.

 

holy crap! that's a mantis shrimp?

 

it's like the size of a lobster! and i thought they

were destructive in tanks? lots of banging and moving

things? and yours is gorgeous. (the mantis and the tank!)

 

1st, will YOUR shrimpie get that big??

[FlowerMama]

holy crap! that's a mantis shrimp?

 

it's like the size of a lobster! and i thought they

were destructive in tanks? lots of banging and moving

things? and yours is gorgeous. (the mantis and the tank!)

 

1st, will YOUR shrimpie get that big??

 

no, my variety will get to 3.5". She's 2" right now. Just a small variety. oerstedii I think is how you spell it, something close to that anyway. Came free with my rock.

[FlowerMama]

Gertie is so-so. She lost one of her wrecking balls in the last molt a week ago. She's lighter in color and right now she took one piece of food but not another but then again I did feed her yesterday a small piece of jumbo mysis. But she's also wandered out and not gone back into her home yet when she does get a piece of food, hopefully it's just a phase, I hope she's not ill. Water quality is no issue. She's light green w/ a light blue underside.

 

http://s1278.photobucket.com/user/1stimereefer/media/20141208_203635_zpsux85pwbg.jpg.html'>

[frankdr]

She lost one of her wrecking balls in the last molt a week ago. ... I hope she's not ill.

 

 

I hope she's ok also - I wonder if they grow back, or if she's permanently that way.. Let's hope not..