Beware "Spooky Mantis Mountain" REINJURED LEFT KNEE

[aviator300]

Day 5 of Clarence's residence.

 

Clarence is on a re decorating binge now. I saw him dragging rocks around today and then when i checked on him a little while ago, i noticed he partially blocked off both den entrances.

 

I guess he's saying to me " Hey you. Yeah you, the big guy. Stop shining that light in my burrow so much and mind your own business!!!"

These little guys are priceless huh?

Just don't get Clarence pissed of at you like i did Judy. She did not low the new cave at all.

What's Judy using for a den if she doesn't like the cave you created?

[Horerczy]

Her old one. I put it back in. She was digging under every rock in the tank up till i added the old cave back in.

[aviator300]

I haven't seen Clarence at all yet today. He usually has taken several strolls out of his den by this time and i've heard no knocking. He's been eating good (Loves Hermits) and i noticed he really has been blocking off his den over the last day or two.. I wonder if he's getting ready to molt (How long does that usually take before they come out again and do they throw their molt out of their den or what?).

 

I finally figured out how to take and post a video so i posted it here (it's pretty amatuerish so i hope it's OK). So here is a recent pic of the scape and the video of Clarence wandering around. He seems to pretty much ignore the camera.

 

[url=http://s513.photobucket.com/user/fsuggs50/media/7f17eddf-6f47-411b-8103-ed6335765706_zpsf7a2d109.jpg.html][/url

 

When i tried to post the video from Photo Bucket i got this warning from NanoReef can someone help me out on this?

 

An error occurred

You are not allowed to use that image extension on this community.

 

OH WELL. i tried another way to post it and it worked. I hope i'm not getting into trouble?

 

http://s513.photobucket.com/user/fsuggs50/media/20141105_145721_zpseyk4fccw.mp4.html

 

To watch video, click on above photobucket link.

[Horerczy]

May be molting. May just be being quiet. Judy is quiet sometimes.

[aviator300]

new video works

[aviator300]

Well, i'm finally getting a large diatom bloom in the tank but can't add a CUC because they will be eaten. I tried putting in a fairly large Astrea Turbo snail when i added Clarence but he ate it anyway. All 2.5 inches of mantis took this quarter sized snail into his den and actually ATE IT. All of it. I suppose i could just throw in about 10 dwarf Ceriths a week and hope they do some cleaning as their numbers diminish.

 

Anyone have any other ideas?

[rocksmom]

What about an urchin? Do mantises eat them?

[Horerczy]

Dump in a large cuc in and refresh as it's picked off.

[aviator300]

What about an urchin? Do mantises eat them?

I am definitely checking that out.

 

Dump in a large cuc in and refresh as it's picked off.

I actually added 10 dwarf Ceriths about an hour ago and i'll see how long they last. good idea.

[Tamberav]

Try an urchins and Mexican Turbo snails (those huge huge guys).

 

Sometimes they will eat urchins but mine does not.

 

 

Dump in a large cuc in and refresh as it's picked off.

 

 

 

You could dump a whole handful of snails in and my mantis will literally pick them all at up once (which is comical). A huge armful of snails. Some of them are very greedy eaters.

[aviator300]

Try an urchins and Mexican Turbo snails (those huge huge guys).

 

Sometimes they will eat urchins but mine does not.

 

 

You could dump a whole handful of snails in and my mantis will literally pick them all at once (which is comical). A huge armful of snails. Some of them are very greedy eaters.

Thats hilarious. BTW, is anyone able to view the video i posted? Not trying to plug it, but no one's mentioned it so i'm unsure if it works or not.

[Horerczy]

Judy leaves the cuc i put in well enough alone for the most part. I imagine I'll need a top up soon. Not surprising that some if the beasties are more aggressive for food though.

[Tamberav]

The link is there. I didn't see it till now though. I was expecting a youtube clicky.

 

He looks very interested in those API test kits

[aviator300]

This little guy is a real pig. My idea was to throw in about 10 to 12 dwarf Cerith snails a week, figuring he would finish them off slowly and i'd have at least a small CUC for a few days but NOOOO. Clarence polishes them all off overnight. HAha.

 

I thought about adding a couple of large Mexican Turbo snails but i'm worried that he would "try" to eat those also. I mean this little guy carries around rocks almost as big as he is. Oh well, i'm going to put in one of my 2 Turbos (about cherry tomato size) and see what happens.

 

 

[Horerczy]

Clarence is a mean bugger ent he?

 

Judy finally polished off the emerald crabs that were in there with her. at least i havent seen them for a while.

[aviator300]

Clarence is a mean bugger ent he?

 

Judy finally polished off the emerald crabs that were in there with her. at least i havent seen them for a while.

He doesn't seem mean, he just doesn't seem to understand that he has limitations. He will come to the glass to watch me and see if i have brought him any treats. He really seems very aware of the world outside his tank and you can see him stop to look out at something quite often.

[Horerczy]

Oh yes he has fantastic eyes like that. He is very well aware of everything around the tank and very smart.

[aviator300]

I discovered what i thought was a hitchiker Anemone on my live rock but turns out, it's a "Sea Cucumber".

The red football shaped thingy is its body and the white tentacles next to it is its open mouth which pulsates and directs plankton and such into it to eat.

 

I found this out by posting this pic in the identification forum and getting replies with good information. Now i just have to read up on them to see how to care for it.

 

BTW, Clarence is really redecorating his scape by digging and hauling rocks around. I've had him almost a month now and he hasn't shown any signs of molting yet.

Does anyone know if they throw their molt out of their den when finished? How else can you tell if they molted?

 

Here's the shot of the Sea Cucumber.

http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/353833-cool-hitchiker-anem

 

 

[FlowerMama]

Many times they eat the molt so all you may see are the claws.

[kimberbee]

I think the sea cucumber is pretty cool looking.

 

Gonna keep it?

[Horerczy]

Sweet hitchhiker.

 

My hitchhikers are always common things mini brittle stars and stuff.

 

Clarence will probably become really reclusive a around molting time. If his cave is suddenly blocked by more rock than normal he might be molting. or beefing up security.

[aviator300]

Many times they eat the molt so all you may see are the claws.

Thats gross.

 

I think the sea cucumber is pretty cool looking.

 

Gonna keep it?

For sure. Also i read that the cucumbers sometimes release some really toxic stuff when injured or stressed that can kill fish and other reef inhabitants so i have to treat it well to protect Clarence.

[aviator300]

Sweet hitchhiker.

 

My hitchhikers are always common things mini brittle stars and stuff.

 

Clarence will probably become really reclusive a around molting time. If his cave is suddenly blocked by more rock than normal he might be molting. or beefing up security.

1. He is really beefing up his doors and packing them tight with rocks at night and he has been digging furiously under and around the main rock. Every once in a while, a large plume of sand explodes up into the water and i know it's Clarence with every appendage flailing away, digging like crazy. It's fun to watch.
2. Clarence seems totally used to me being around and he plays around the tank with abandon, whether i'm across the room or staring right into the tank.

[Horerczy]

Exciting. Judy beefed up her doors twice since I got her. Both times she went silent for about 3-4 days then was suddenly out and about again all happy to beat the tar out of any rock that crossed her path. She also doesn't like my purple sea whip and moves it frequently.

[aviator300]

Exciting. Judy beefed up her doors twice since I got her. Both times she went silent for about 3-4 days then was suddenly out and about again all happy to beat the tar out of any rock that crossed her path. She also doesn't like my purple sea whip and moves it frequently.

Just like my wife, always wanting to move the furniture around LOL. I really had no idea how entertaining it would be watching these creatures. They are truly pets in every sense of the word.