modulok Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 I noticed two eyes looking out of a hole in one of my live rocks. I only bought some fish, a pistol shrimp, and a CUC, so nothing that small that would fit into the hole. Never saw him eat or leave the rock. Until tonight when I grabbed the rock and put it in a bucket to get him out. Link to comment
keydiver Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 yep, def a mantis. I can;t tell whether or not it's a spearer or smasher, but you can refer to this for identification http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthropoda/cr...traca/royslist/ Link to comment
modulok Posted September 9, 2011 Author Share Posted September 9, 2011 cool, thanks for the confirmation. It's hard to capture what he really looks like with a cellphone camera, but he is kinda translucent. Redish stripe in the middle and a light green for the rest of him. His eyes are also green. Link to comment
kgoldy Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Please don't kill, sell it. Link to comment
marinebiologist Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 that thing is cool! what are you going to do with him/her?! Link to comment
Euphyllia Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Please don't kill, sell it. +1 Being a mantis hater, I feel the temptation, but for the sake of the life of the aminal, don't kill it. Link to comment
modulok Posted September 9, 2011 Author Share Posted September 9, 2011 Oh yeah, he hasn't done any damage. I'm just glad I found and got him out or the rock before I couldn't easily remove him. I am bring it to work to show a few people, then I'll see if the LFS wants it. Link to comment
mndfreeze Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 There are TONS of people who love mantis shrimp and keep them as primary pets, myself included. If your local LFS won't take it you can ship it to me and I will make sure it goes to someone who will care for it. Mantis are pretty damn smart for an invert, have amazing vision and are generally cool as hell. Hell, My new custom 40B I had built (at a hefty starphire price!) is going to be my mantis's dream tank. Very few tank mates, lots of food sources and coral heads to hide in. He's getting it all to himself basically. Link to comment
mndfreeze Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 I posted a link to this thread on another forum with a section just for mantis people so they will either pop over here and ID it for you, or mention it there and I'll repost it here. Link to comment
Formula462 Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Don't take it to work and all that jazz. Just get him somewhere safe, skip the show and tell. Its just added stress. Link to comment
mndfreeze Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Don't take it to work and all that jazz. Just get him somewhere safe, skip the show and tell. Its just added stress. +2billions Link to comment
NirvanaandTool Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Where is the rock from? That would help us get an id. If its from the Caribbean, my first guess is N. Oerstedii. Similar body color at least Link to comment
modulok Posted September 9, 2011 Author Share Posted September 9, 2011 Got a better pic with Macro lens. Can anyone tell which species this is? I think its a crusher. Link to comment
Gonodactylus Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Got a better pic with Macro lens. Can anyone tell which species this is? I think its a crusher. It is indeed a smasher in the family Protosquillidae. Members of this group are only found in the Indo-Pacific and eastern Atlantic. They are not found in the Americas. My best guess without seeing a close-up of the telson is that it is in the genus Chorisquilla, but I would have to see the animal to be sure. Members of this genus do not grow to more than about 30 mm, are highly secretive usually remaining in a tight fitting cavity and feed mostly on micro-crustaceans and macro plankton. Roy Link to comment
modulok Posted September 9, 2011 Author Share Posted September 9, 2011 So if it feeds on what you said, is it a threat to my livestock? clowns, blenny, gobies, basslet, pistol shrimp Link to comment
Wet_Fretboards Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Pistol shrimp might not fare too well. Although, I bet it would be a good fight. ;D Link to comment
xxbrianxx Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 It is indeed a smasher in the family Protosquillidae. Members of this group are only found in the Indo-Pacific and eastern Atlantic. They are not found in the Americas. My best guess without seeing a close-up of the telson is that it is in the genus Chorisquilla, but I would have to see the animal to be sure. Members of this genus do not grow to more than about 30 mm, are highly secretive usually remaining in a tight fitting cavity and feed mostly on micro-crustaceans and macro plankton. Roy sweeettt Dr. Caldwell's finally come to NR. Link to comment
Woogalie Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Feed your coworkers to your mantis Let him smash them into pieces!!! Link to comment
modulok Posted September 9, 2011 Author Share Posted September 9, 2011 Feed coworkers to the mantis? He's a little small for that, not even the size of my pinky. So my coworker wants to take him home to his tank. Link to comment
Gonodactylus Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 It probably won't feed on anything more than a quarter its size, but it will defend its cavity against animals close to its size. Usually a defensive strike is not lethal and the intruders learn to stay away. If there was a contest between a small Chorisquilla and a similarly sized snapping shrimp, I would bet on the shrimp. Roy Link to comment
modulok Posted September 9, 2011 Author Share Posted September 9, 2011 Thanks for all the help Roy. Although it seems safe to keep I will let it go with coworker. I don't want to start losing my CUC. Link to comment
seamonkeychar Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 Thanks for all the help Roy. Although it seems safe to keep I will let it go with coworker. I don't want to start losing my CUC. Dr. Roy is amazing! Hey, if your coworker doesn't want him, I'm sure several of us here would pay shipping to get the little guy, myself included. I've been looking for a small mantis for my tank for awhile! Cool find. Link to comment
dclipse99 Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 It’s hard to tell what kind it is since it is still small. They tend to go through some color changes till they get larger, then their real colors will show. I agree, don't kill them. They have very interesting personalities. Link to comment
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