Mantis Shrimp is sick....need help!

[y0bailey]

I haven't heard from my mantis shrimp in about a month. He is around 3-4 inches, and is a smasher. I assumed he was doing a molt, and I was correct. However the molt went terribly wrong!

 

He is missing both of his smashing appendages (one completely, half of the other), and looks lighter in coloration than normal. I think I know the cause of the problem (I haven't been feeding him hermits due to the cost, just purchased frozen shrimp because it is cheap/easy), but I don't know how to fix it!

 

I assume he is missing his smashers due to an essential substance not supplied by the frozen shrimp (which he has been fine with for a year). I don't know what this substance is, but I assume it is in their exoskeleton.

 

Anyways I want to nurse him back to health, so the logical thing is a diet change back to hermits....but how does one kill/eat hermits without smashers!

 

I am at a complete loss as to what to do from here....so please experts give me some ideas (supplements?).

 

 

 

 

ps - I also have a fiesty damsel in there....I don't think he would be able to eat off his smashers without some kind of damage so I kinda ruled him out as the cause....could a large damsel 3-4 inch damsel do this to a 3-4 inch mantis?

[Argent]

I highly suggest taking this over to Dr Roy at Reefcentral.com in the Mantis Shrimp forum - you won't find a better stomatopod resource.

[justinl]

argent is right about RC being the best mantis info source.

 

as for your mantis, It has nothing to do with the shrimp not having an essential nutrient. The reason your mantis lost it's raps (smashing appendages) is because you didn't supply hard shelled live food like hermits, crabs, or snails. Because the mantis never had a reason to use the raps they became redundant and fell off. that simple.

 

so how the hell do you get a mantis to regain the raps? well obviously it can't use raps right now, but i would add some nassarius snails or something now so it has shelled food when it does regain its raps. for now, feed once every 2 days. feed varied frozens like silversides and shrimp (that's my mantis' staple diet). soak all frozen feedings in a supplement like selcon. remove any uneaten food. keep water quality high. the mantis should regain its raps in three to four molts.

 

some people will tell you to dose iodine to help the molt. dont. it doesn't help and may be detrimental.

 

for the future, please supplement the mantis' diet with a few live hard shelled food like snails, crabs or hermits at least once a month.