Cintax Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 Very beautiful specimen. Link to comment
wombat Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 This is my mantis, thanks for the compliment. Don't worry about me guys. I'll keep my fingers clear for now. I know people who've been hit and they say it's like a bad rubber band snap. I don't think they can break bone. Some thing are exaggerated time to time. I think this is one of those cases. Eh, I don't know. I think if they hit your finger pad, you'd be okay, but if they got you on a knuckle or something I could see it creating a hairline fracture. I mean, they can turn thick snail shells into rubble. Hey Jeffro, are those mangroves growing underwater in that photo? What's up with that? Link to comment
19jeffro83 Posted January 24, 2012 Author Share Posted January 24, 2012 Yeah it's in my fuge for now till the tank gets up and running. I keep about 10 or so in there. Some are just staring out from pods some are small plants. I do t plan on flirting with an injury, just don't necessarily think this guy will bite tr hand that feeds him over an amount of time. Probably play it safe for a while. Thanks Link to comment
spazizz Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 You probably have this figured out by now but I fed mine a pellet once a day. Never fed him live but he did eventually eat a damsel I had for months. Link to comment
TheUnfocusedOne Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 Holy miss information. How big of a biocube are you planning on keeping him in? Roy (the mantis shrimp guru at UC Berkeley) suggests nothing less than a 40g. You can keep them in less, but I'd advise against it. They're very intelligent and really need a decent sized area to roam around. These types of mantis shrimp are also prone to shell rot if they are kept in dirty water for too long. The species you have eats mollusks and crustaceans, and is usually better of on live food than frozen. If you don't feed them live food, or at least feed them in a way that has them using their smasher, they'll eventually lose them after a molt. I'd use some sort of nutrient source like selecon for your frozen stuff if you can't give live food very often. You mantis isn't out to get it, as most people seem to think. If you get to close, it'll probably give you a mocking blow just to scare you. If you piss it off, you'll regret it. You can work in your tank, just be mindful of where it set up it's burrow, and don't go sticking your fingers in it. google "Roy's List" for more info. I've never kept this species myself, but I've kept other species before. They're one of the coolest things for aquariums out there, but I'm begging you to do some research. In recent years peacock mantis shrimps have become really popular, and the demand has cause a significant decrease in wild populations and a huge inflation of the price. Most people buy them because they hear they're murderous death shrimps, and end up sticking them in tiny tanks without the proper care. They're worth reading up on and trying to keep healthy and happy. Link to comment
mereefgeek Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 I kept mine for 5 years (not a peacock but still a smasher) then donated him to another reefer the shrimp ended up dieing last year after 8+ years I kept her in a 20g long softie/ lps tank. she loved to eat fresh shrimp,snails and small clams. I never tried to get her to eat anything different. the coast is 10 min away. I hand fed her the shrimp no problem. she got me a couple times the only one that hurt was when she hit my fingernail! fyi its not like hitting your finger with a hammer (ive been a roofer for 15 years) more like putting a nailset on your finger and hitting that. didnt lose the nail but had to drill my nail so it would stop hurting! your mantis may get an attitude one day and break the tank to get your attention, so I would recommend an acrylic tank. and they are more like birds if you dont give them enough attention they will make you wish you had just respect the mantis when you have to work in the tank and dont take its power for granted still my all time favorite pic Link to comment
TheUnfocusedOne Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 They don't break tanks... Link to comment
19jeffro83 Posted January 25, 2012 Author Share Posted January 25, 2012 How much of the 20 Lon was being used? Pretty sure these guys are ambush hunter and keep mostly to their homes. I've read as long as you can keep decent water quality an proper diet things will be fine. Also being the have enough room to swim a bit an make a proper home. I'll possibly be setting up a 20 Lon instead of using the biocube 14. If so it'll be either tied in to my reef tank or a simple hob with lR and 2x a week small water changes. A nail set hit to a finger would pop straight through it and destroy your bone severely. I believ a bruise can occur but anyway I won't be touching him for a long time if I decide to. I did pet him when I first got him and saw no threat even when he shot at me, but I'll take all warnings. Thanks I'm aware of the supplimentation requirements. I'll be picking up selcon on my next visit to the lfs. I also plan on feeding live foods once a week. All he's eaten so far is frozen SS. Link to comment
metrokat Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 Jeffro, an animal this gorgeous deserves a name. Link to comment
19jeffro83 Posted January 25, 2012 Author Share Posted January 25, 2012 What would you suggest Kat? He's Beautiful but also quite the beast. Do you see how nice he is! lol! Like the vid thanks. Link to comment
metrokat Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 hercules? hulk? Ballz? Prince William? Henry the 8th? Marvin the Martian? Bubba? Double O seven Agent X POTUS Big Daddy Green Goblin Link to comment
19jeffro83 Posted January 25, 2012 Author Share Posted January 25, 2012 hercules?hulk? Ballz? Prince William? Henry the 8th? Marvin the Martian? Bubba? Double O seven Agent X POTUS Big Daddy Green Goblin lol we will see Kat. Link to comment
wombat Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 Holy miss information. What do you mean? You basically just repeated everything I said earlier. With all due respect to Roy, I think a 30g is probably fine. I think the environment and the interaction you provide them with is much more important than the size of the tank. 40g is a rather arbitrary number to decide is THE minimum they need to be kept in--both sizes are woefully small compared to what they experience in the wild. Just my 2 cents. Link to comment
TheUnfocusedOne Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 What do you mean? You basically just repeated everything I said earlier. With all due respect to Roy, I think a 30g is probably fine. I think the environment and the interaction you provide them with is much more important than the size of the tank. 40g is a rather arbitrary number to decide is THE minimum they need to be kept in--both sizes are woefully small compared to what they experience in the wild. Just my 2 cents. I skimmed mostly, I saw a bunch of posts from people I didn't agree with. Wasn't directed at you. I say 40 just because peacocks get pretty big. You could probably do a 30 so long as the dimensions are right. It's all opinion, I've only kept small ones but I've seen that it's pretty sad having them in a tank that's too small for them. There was a LFS by me that had one that was at least 4" in one of those critter carriers. I wanted to smack them into tiny little pieces. Link to comment
kellog Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 I have a orange spot mantis in my BC14. He likes to stick his head out and watch whats going on in the room, especially when I'm on the computer or watching tv, think the moving pictures fascinate him Mind gets fed live ghost shrimp from petsmart once a week, and frozen silverside/krill the other day. Only time he even acts mildly aggressive toards me when i have my hand in the tank is if i try to touch the decorations he put in front of his burrow opening in the rock. Link to comment
mndfreeze Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 More people need to visit that 'other site' where Roy posts and has a specific mantis forum if they want proper mantis assistance. There is a lot of misinformation here I've noticed. Peacock's get huge and need bigger tanks. They are prone to shell rot from anything but perfect water quality as well as high lighting. You don't want lighting for anything more then a low lit softie tank really. There are tons of other species out there that all have different requirements. I have a G. Ternatensis and it lives in live coral heads, tolerates super high light, doesn't get as big as a peacock, but still about 5 inches. Mine pops out of his hole most of the time unless its feeding time, where as peacocks are known to srtoll about a lot more. Smashers do not specifically eat fish, but they will go after them if they are hungry enough or get the chance. Do not think them slow by any means. Peacocks will chase laser pointers as do some other species. Once its full grown, it CAN break glass, but is super ultra hyper turbo fighting rare. They need GOOD quality food, and LIVE food mixed in now and then or they will waste away or lose raptorials. I feed mine frozen krill every few days, and get him a fiddler crab or two once every 2 weeks or so. Link to comment
Fearlessmoto Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 if it can cavitate water to the point of creating light and heat almost as hot as the sun, i think it may be worse than smacking your finger with a hammer, good luck anyway (hate to see the doctor bills) Link to comment
mereefgeek Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 How much of the 20 Lon was being used? Pretty sure these guys are ambush hunter and keep mostly to their homes. I've read as long as you can keep decent water quality an proper diet things will be fine. Also being the have enough room to swim a bit an make a proper home. I'll possibly be setting up a 20 Lon instead of using the biocube 14. If so it'll be either tied in to my reef tank or a simple hob with lR and 2x a week small water changes. A nail set hit to a finger would pop straight through it and destroy your bone severely. I believ a bruise can occur but anyway I won't be touching him for a long time if I decide to. I did pet him when I first got him and saw no threat even when he shot at me, but I'll take all warnings. Thanks I'm aware of the supplimentation requirements. I'll be picking up selcon on my next visit to the lfs. I also plan on feeding live foods once a week. All he's eaten so far is frozen SS. first off I said nail set not punch. a nailset only comes out maybe 1/8" from the holder my mantis would cruse around the whole tank, not shy at all. her tank was on my desk if I was sitting there and she wanted my to pay her some attention she would tap the glass to get my atention then do a lap around the tank. she was like a cat if she wanted you to pay her attention you had to and if she didnt want you there she would let you know! you will have to learn its personality and go from there.just read up on what it likes in the wild and try to give it everything it needs! do you know if it is male or female? Link to comment
19jeffro83 Posted January 28, 2012 Author Share Posted January 28, 2012 Not sure how to sex these guys yet. I'm planning a 29 tied into my 50 breeder for my mantis. Do you think thall be enough room? Link to comment
mereefgeek Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 should be for a while, but the more floor space the better. a 40 breeder would probably be the best option. so I would think about an upgrade in the next couple years. with a 29 put a nice rock pile so it can climb all over the place and the height isnt wasted. you could always put some mollies in with it. they are great at eating unwanted algae and if they get snacked on its not a big deal Link to comment
19jeffro83 Posted January 28, 2012 Author Share Posted January 28, 2012 I was thinking a couple damsels but that's a good idea. Eapeacialy being they'll eat some algae. Link to comment
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