Gertie- my girl is gone.

[YaBoyLaj]

After deciding to get a IM Nuvo 10, i thought i'd go the damn best mantis shrimp owner i could think of, I've always loved oddballs and weird sea creatures (it's an obsession lol) and i've maintained mantids at work and have found a passion for them, I have a few questions i was hoping you could help me out

 

1. Which species would you recommend? I haven't taken the time to learn most of their scientific names, but I love the small colorful ones, like Gertie!

 

2. Is a 10 gallon too small for a mantid? I don't want them to feel cramped but I know they don;t need THAT much space, but i'd figure i'd ask just to be sure!

[vlangel]

Annette, this tank is looking great. O my, Gertie has a big birthday coming? So how old do mantis shrimp live?

[FlowerMama]

After deciding to get a IM Nuvo 10, i thought i'd go the damn best mantis shrimp owner i could think of, I've always loved oddballs and weird sea creatures (it's an obsession lol) and i've maintained mantids at work and have found a passion for them, I have a few questions i was hoping you could help me out

 

1. Which species would you recommend? I haven't taken the time to learn most of their scientific names, but I love the small colorful ones, like Gertie!

 

2. Is a 10 gallon too small for a mantid? I don't want them to feel cramped but I know they don;t need THAT much space, but i'd figure i'd ask just to be sure!

 

1) I love the one I have and got it free in the rock. I like that they remain small but again, that's all I've had. I'd love to have a peacock but I think they're light requirements are different, they can get shell rot but it's still being investigated if it's a light thing or nutritional deficit. But then I think, if Gertie hits me, it's small, she won't split open my thumb, so that's a good thing. Smaller than a peacock and more colored like one is the Havanensis.

 

2) 10 is fine. They burrow in a rock and make it bigger as they get larger. They may have several burrows. If it's only going to be 2.5-3". I originally had 1 in each side of my 20g. They'd be happy. They pretty much stay in their hole until it wants to find food outside. I had a royal gramma w/ Gertie, & they've always gotten along. Neither bothered the other. And currently my 6-line & Gert get along.

Normally I wouldn't suggest putting them in w/ a mantis but her personality seems to be ok with them.

 

Here, check out KPAquatics- http://www.kpaquatics.com/product-category/shrimps-and-mantis-shrimps/

 

That's how I found my Gertie and her sister, hitchhikers on my live rock. One was magenta at the time and changed to green. The other one stayed green. Mine's the Oerstedaii I believe. If it says Ciliata, that's a spearer. I prefer the noise makers. It's fun hearing them pound away in their home. Sometimes, they just don't like where something is, and they want to remove it, so they'll use their wrecking balls on them. I give frozen shrimp, scallop, Rod's or Larry's for her to eat. Easy, I feed her once a week. I just have her in w/ macro basically, she's beaten up my rock flower anemones when I had half of them in her tank for holding once I took down the 60. Whack except it wasn't the crack I was expecting, more like thuds, then I found her beating up the rock flower. So they'll move it on their own if it's in their way, so you don't really want to put corals you care about in there. And all I need is a light to grow the macro, so it's not a fancy light you need either. And they're just fun, inquisitive, I will NEVER be without a mantis. Once you have one you will always want one. So always keep a spare 10 around.

[FlowerMama]

Annette, this tank is looking great. O my, Gertie has a big birthday coming? So how old do mantis shrimp live?

 

You know, I have no idea but as I recall Betty, the peacock, she lived like 4 yrs across the last 2 owners, don't know how old she was when the 2nd owner got her. I know Gert hasn't reached her size yet, she's supposed to be up to 70 mm which is 2.7 inches. I know she's 2" for sure. I cherish every day with her. I wish she could be in a colorful tank and not hurt things I love, my rock flowers. I'd rather have inverts & shrimp I think than fish overall.

[vlangel]

You know, I have no idea but as I recall Betty, the peacock, she lived like 4 yrs across the last 2 owners, don't know how old she was when the 2nd owner got her. I know Gert hasn't reached her size yet, she's supposed to be up to 70 mm which is 2.7 inches. I know she's 2" for sure. I cherish every day with her. I wish she could be in a colorful tank and not hurt things I love, my rock flowers. I'd rather have inverts & shrimp I think than fish overall.

I think her tank is attractive even if it does not have the color of some tanks. It looks lush and alive. It is cool how some creatures capture our heart and we will make a lot of concessions for their sake.

[FlowerMama]

I think her tank is attractive even if it does not have the color of some tanks. It looks lush and alive. It is cool how some creatures capture our heart and we will make a lot of concessions for their sake.

 

When I moved I almost lost her. I was checking a heater and forgot to put it back in, or I went to switch it with another. The temp got to 66 I think. I lost the gramma, she was floating in the outstretched toadstool As I moved away macro in the cool water bucket, I saw a scamper. She was alive and I put her in the ready tank w/o assimilation and she was fine. It was like, prevent her from dying in cold water, throw her in the 78 degree water. That was dumb too. But she seems awfully sturdy. I will seriously cry when she passes one day. Here's one example of why I love her- she moves the macro out of her way w/ her foot so she could see me. So damn smart.

 

I think her tank is attractive even if it does not have the color of some tanks. It looks lush and alive. It is cool how some creatures capture our heart and we will make a lot of concessions for their sake.

 

Yeah, I wanted this one to look natural w/ out the colors and as it is I only had a cheapo marineland light on top that was just all white except a few blues (came w/ a kit) and then later I added a Par 38 from a local club member. My little toadstool I took out of the 40, seems to be doing better in Gertie's tank.

[YaBoyLaj]

 

1) I love the one I have and got it free in the rock. I like that they remain small but again, that's all I've had. I'd love to have a peacock but I think they're light requirements are different, they can get shell rot but it's still being investigated if it's a light thing or nutritional deficit. But then I think, if Gertie hits me, it's small, she won't split open my thumb, so that's a good thing. Smaller than a peacock and more colored like one is the Havanensis.

 

2) 10 is fine. They burrow in a rock and make it bigger as they get larger. They may have several burrows. If it's only going to be 2.5-3". I originally had 1 in each side of my 20g. They'd be happy. They pretty much stay in their hole until it wants to find food outside. I had a royal gramma w/ Gertie, & they've always gotten along. Neither bothered the other. And currently my 6-line & Gert get along.

Normally I wouldn't suggest putting them in w/ a mantis but her personality seems to be ok with them.

 

Here, check out KPAquatics- http://www.kpaquatics.com/product-category/shrimps-and-mantis-shrimps/

 

That's how I found my Gertie and her sister, hitchhikers on my live rock. One was magenta at the time and changed to green. The other one stayed green. Mine's the Oerstedaii I believe. If it says Ciliata, that's a spearer. I prefer the noise makers. It's fun hearing them pound away in their home. Sometimes, they just don't like where something is, and they want to remove it, so they'll use their wrecking balls on them. I give frozen shrimp, scallop, Rod's or Larry's for her to eat. Easy, I feed her once a week. I just have her in w/ macro basically, she's beaten up my rock flower anemones when I had half of them in her tank for holding once I took down the 60. Whack except it wasn't the crack I was expecting, more like thuds, then I found her beating up the rock flower. So they'll move it on their own if it's in their way, so you don't really want to put corals you care about in there. And all I need is a light to grow the macro, so it's not a fancy light you need either. And they're just fun, inquisitive, I will NEVER be without a mantis. Once you have one you will always want one. So always keep a spare 10 around.

WOW! Thanks for the info! I have a big ol' tiger pistol so I have enough clicks and pops in my room lol The one that i've only seen twice is the yellow Pseudosquilla Ciliata . Thats why i want a spearer, plus the yellow is something that's really appealing to me, just to have a shrimp thats not only badass but looks like a banana, highlighter and a demon had a threesome and produced this thing lol Again, thanks for the info

[FlowerMama]

WOW! Thanks for the info! I have a big ol' tiger pistol so I have enough clicks and pops in my room lol The one that i've only seen twice is the yellow Pseudosquilla Ciliata . Thats why i want a spearer, plus the yellow is something that's really appealing to me, just to have a shrimp thats not only badass but looks like a banana, highlighter and a demon had a threesome and produced this thing lol Again, thanks for the info

 

YW. Nice prices at KP Aquatics, they have great prices on all their invertebrates, shrimps, you name it.

I'm excited, 3 yrs soon for my Gertie.

[FlowerMama]

Oh, I'm ashamed. Gertie was 3 yrs old yesterday 11/3. I missed her b-day. Happy Birthday Girly! I'm gonna give her tank a nice cleaning tomorrow. Has some cyano since the little pumps are clogged up.

[vlangel]

Happy belated birthday Gertie!

[teenyreef]

Happy birthday, G!

[aviator300]

Happy birthday Gertie.

[FlowerMama]

Well, I didn't get my act together yest or today to clean Gertie's tank.

[FlowerMama]

I did some cleanup on Gert's tank. I need to take out several more rocks, scrub them w/ a brush and put them back in. And I'm off Thursday so her tank is also getting a 50% water change. If you can't remember when you last did one, it's been way too long.

 

 

Here she is. A short 22 sec w/ my new phone.

 

[FlowerMama]

I hope she's shedding, I haven't see her in 8 days since this video. Makes me nervous each time. If I put food out and she doesn't come from hiding I worry.

[FlowerMama]

Ok. so she is alive. Last time I saw her was on 11/28 when I took the video. I came home and her hole was boarded up. I never did hear if she went after the snail and 2 crabs that I threw in the other day from the rfa tank. They'd bother as they'd go through picking through the sand and some of the baby rfa shrunk.

[FlowerMama]

So the tank was looking pretty clean on 11/28 above. I've been more busy w/ the RFA tank. I took out some red macro as it was getting to be too much and turning translucent in many places, so I cut it back or took most out. Then I put some coral food or something and the tank blossomed purple. I upset the apple cart biology of the tank.

 

 

 

I try to make her look bigger but she's only like 2" long.

 

[FlowerMama]

Did some more cleaning yest, 5g water change. I also put the par38 full spectrum bulb over it that I had on the 10g for the time being to make sure gbta is ok. I still love the more rustic look for Gert's tank.

 

It was looking like this when I just put the gbta in there.

 

 

Today looks like...

 

 

Tomorrow I'll take out a few rocks and brush the purple off into the kitchen sink, do a quick dip in RO/DI and put it back in the tank.

[FlowerMama]

I've been getting the other two tanks into shape w/ spawnings, birthing, cycling that Gertie's tank has taken a back seat. But that will be changing, I'm in a good spot to get things going for her tank again. Here are some pics from tonight.

 

When I sit on the couch I can still see Gert's tank!

 

 

Then a close-up, the toadstool is doing so well.

 

 

 

The anemone is not as colorful here but there's more white light in this tank currently.

 

 

And best of all who will be with me 4 yrs this November. GERTIE!!!!

 

 

And if you hadn't gone to my NICU thread, it just registered ammonia at .25 so it's on its way.

 

 

Gert, I promise I'm coming to clean your tank!!! First I have to get re-established wish some regular water changes again and after the cyano is gone, I want to make a new scape for her.

 

 

 

 

[FlowerMama]

I cleaned her tank today, next time it's moving rocks over to the right and cleaning the sand on the left, and vice versa a week later.  All the macro I threw out, there are so many pieces attach to the rock even when I pulled it off that it'll grow quickly in no time.  The toadstool, the anemone and the curlique anemone are NOT thrilled right now.

 

I was scared for Gertie.  I was taking a few rocks back to the sink and brushing them with a toothbrush, rinsing in RO and putting them back in the tank.  I hear a noise, didn't think nothing of it because the 2 rocks had moved as I was carrying them in a plastic bowl.  I clean one, put it down, go to grab the next and Gertie is glaring at me out of this huge hole in a rock, her whole body looking at me like....WTF???  So I start to walk out of the kitchen thinking, don't jump, don't jump, don't she JUMPED!!!  and fell 4 ft to the kitchen linoleum and curled up somewhat.  I can't find my net.  Where the hell is the net?  So I grab a Walmart bag and catch her with it, and feel her go POW!! while she hit some part of the scrunched up bag and threw her in the tank, she fell outta the bag.  That gave me a heart attack.

 

[Weetabix7]

Holy Cow, I woulda DIED, so glad she's ok!!!!

[vlangel]

Poor Gertie!  She is probably traumatized along with you.  Its a good thing they are tough little creatures!

[teenyreef]

Eeek! I would have been saying some serious bad words. And totally freaking out.

[FlowerMama]

1 hour ago, Weetabix7 said:

Holy Cow, I woulda DIED, so glad she's ok!!!!

 

She scampered away after she got into the tank but I hope she's not in shock.  I haven't seen her yet since the incident.

1 hour ago, vlangel said:

Poor Gertie!  She is probably traumatized along with you.  Its a good thing they are tough little creatures!

And I know they have exceptionally strong armor but I'm still concerned.  Imagine a person standing in a doorway, this was Gertie when she made herself noticed, all I saw was dark green looking back at me.

[FlowerMama]

48 minutes ago, teenyreef said:

Eeek! I would have been saying some serious bad words. And totally freaking out.

Yah, they were, Oh schit, oh schit, and damn was another.  My dog stayed in the living room, thinking I was yelling at him.  I'll update tomorrow hopefully with a awesome pic or video of her getting fed.  I'm still concerned.