[The Official End and Beginning] The Creature Feature- EVO 5 Mantis Tank

[Weetabix7]

1 minute ago, lkoechle said:

Yoshii is starting to come out again.  I hope he doesn't have this kind of regression every molt... But whatever he is finally cautiously climbing around the tanks again.  

 

But really... He just needs a hug.

"Please, may I have a hug?"

 

Mostly FTS.  You can see him peeking out of his newly drilled back door with lovely sponge decor.

I also trimmed Yoshii's front GHA hedge and removed the cyano that was moving over the blue sponge.

 

I like Yoshi and I like the blue sponge!!!

[lkoechle]

PSA MANTIS SHRIMP HATE GIRAFFES

 

Okay, so here's how this occured/was discovered:

son: "Daddy!  I'm showin' Yoshii my giraffe!"

@skoechle: "I don't think he really cares..."-turns towards the tank and sees Yoshii doing the stalk of death- "Okay, maybe he does a little too much.  Lets not do that again."

 

It's a little slow in the middle, but then he does a full tank stalk of the giraffe at the end complete with... what I think of as "flaring"  He makes himself big and spreads out his legs and such.  The whole thing is just funny...  I'm planning on pulling out the rest of the animal alphabet (giraffe was for g) and seeing what his reactions are to other animals.

 

 

[TheBig053]

Interesting little dude that Yoshi. I want one!  

 

My LFS has a large peacock mantis that I would love to get but I don't think I could sell my wife on a second tank right now. 

[lkoechle]

1 minute ago, TheBig053 said:

Interesting little dude that Yoshi. I want one!  

 

My LFS has a large peacock mantis that I would love to get but I don't think I could sell my wife on a second tank right now. 

Just get a little one like me.  I love peacocks, but all the forums have me scared of shell rot so I'll probably stick with these guys.  

[Lula_Mae]

Haha he totally flounced at the end!

[lkoechle]

[lkoechle]

 

 

Why do you always run from my love, Yoshii??

 

In other news, yesterday I watched him pick up a hermit crab and carry it INTO his cave before hearing a series of rapid fire clicks.

 

He prefers to murder in secret. 

[WV Reefer]

3 hours ago, lkoechle said:

 

 

Why do you always run from my love, Yoshii??

 

In other news, yesterday I watched him pick up a hermit crab and carry it INTO his cave before hearing a series of rapid fire clicks.

 

He prefers to murder in secret. 

 

I love him and I love his cute little freaky face. 

[lkoechle]

Some Yoshii love this morning.   He was hunting a red hotwheels car this morning.  ???

 

 

 

 

[TheBig053]

Nat Geo Wild had a special on last night about Mantis Shrimp (don't think it was new though).  Made me think of Yoshi and now I really want one! 

[haleschristine]

He is so awesome!

[lkoechle]

A video from Instagram 

 

 

Yes, he is beating my zoas.  This is why he has an ugly tank.

 

 

[lkoechle]

[lkoechle]

And I've got another video uploading to youtube.  so sit tight.

[lkoechle]

 

So, I left the audio in because you can hear the pistol shrimp knocking in the 14 gallon (remember these tanks sit next to each other).  And I get a little growly with my son (he has an annoyingly bad habit of shoving people out of the way), so just ignore that...  lol  But other than that I think it's an interesting video, especially seeing inside his shell when the lights illuminate him.  Overall, he's pretty active and outside his cave 75% of the day.

[lkoechle]

So I'm cleaning up Yoshii's tank.  It's ugly.  I've got the LFS on alert for "pretty Mojanos"  to save for me.  Beard Boy got a good laugh out of that today.

 "Are you sure thats what you want?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm sure"

"You're weird, lady, you know that?"  

"Yeah, I know. My husband tells me that all the time."

Unfortunately, they don't have any pulsing xenia right now... Booooo.... Maybe I can persuade Hubby to take me to some other reef stores this weekend in search of some awesome softies  

 

Anyhow, I have a koralia 240 coming soon and I cleaned up his tank.

 

Before:

 

 

 

After:

 

 

 

And his "kill cup":

 

 

 

 

I don't know what I'm going to do with these.  Either build a graveyard or make a "predator camp" (from the films) with the bodies of his victims.  I don't know yet.

 

PS @Christopher Marks  I'm really digging the drag and drop photo feature.  Super convenient.

 

 

[WV Reefer]

7 minutes ago, lkoechle said:

So I'm cleaning up Yoshii's tank.  It's ugly.  I've got the LFS on alert for "pretty Mojanos"  to save for me.  Beard Boy got a good laugh out of that today.

 "Are you sure thats what you want?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm sure"

"You're weird, lady, you know that?"  

"Yeah, I know. My husband tells me that all the time."

Unfortunately, they don't have any pulsing xenia right now... Booooo.... Maybe I can persuade Hubby to take me to some other reef stores this weekend in search of some awesome softies  

 

Anyhow, I have a koralia 240 coming soon and I cleaned up his tank.

 

Before:

 

 

 

After:

 

 

 

And his "kill cup":

 

 

 

 

I don't know what I'm going to do with these.  Either build a graveyard or make a "predator camp" (from the films) with the bodies of his victims.  I don't know yet.

 

PS @Christopher Marks  I'm really digging the drag and drop photo feature.  Super convenient.

 

 

Predator Camp!!!! Do it!

[Clown79]

On 25/06/2017 at 2:55 PM, lkoechle said:

PSA MANTIS SHRIMP HATE GIRAFFES

 

Okay, so here's how this occured/was discovered:

son: "Daddy!  I'm showin' Yoshii my giraffe!"

@skoechle: "I don't think he really cares..."-turns towards the tank and sees Yoshii doing the stalk of death- "Okay, maybe he does a little too much.  Lets not do that again."

 

It's a little slow in the middle, but then he does a full tank stalk of the giraffe at the end complete with... what I think of as "flaring"  He makes himself big and spreads out his legs and such.  The whole thing is just funny...  I'm planning on pulling out the rest of the animal alphabet (giraffe was for g) and seeing what his reactions are to other animals.

 

 

Your mantis is awesome! Love it.

 

What kind of mantis is It?

[.Boris]

24 minutes ago, WV Reefer said:

Predator Camp!!!! Do it!

I second that!
Put them up on rows of poles like in "Heart of darkness".

[Mariaface]

Future hermit crab homes!

[lkoechle]

9 minutes ago, Mariaface said:

Future hermit crab homes!

with windows! ?? lol

 

39 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

Your mantis is awesome! Love it.

 

What kind of mantis is It?

He is pretty nifty.  He is an N. wennerae.

 

I am kind of sad because I think he is getting ready to molt. I just saw him carry a big shell piece and board up tje back enterance of his cave.  I will miss him and worry about him.

[Weetabix7]

2 hours ago, lkoechle said:

So I'm cleaning up Yoshii's tank.  It's ugly.  I've got the LFS on alert for "pretty Mojanos"  to save for me.  Beard Boy got a good laugh out of that today.

 "Are you sure thats what you want?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm sure"

"You're weird, lady, you know that?"  

"Yeah, I know. My husband tells me that all the time."

Unfortunately, they don't have any pulsing xenia right now... Booooo.... Maybe I can persuade Hubby to take me to some other reef stores this weekend in search of some awesome softies  

 

Anyhow, I have a koralia 240 coming soon and I cleaned up his tank.

 

Before:

 

 

 

After:

 

 

 

And his "kill cup":

 

 

 

 

I don't know what I'm going to do with these.  Either build a graveyard or make a "predator camp" (from the films) with the bodies of his victims.  I don't know yet.

 

PS @Christopher Marks  I'm really digging the drag and drop photo feature.  Super convenient.

 

 

 

Wow, that's looking so much better, I can really tell a difference!!!

Can't wait to see what you do with the "Kill Cup" contents.

[Clown79]

Do they hide for long during molting?

 

I've watched a lot on mantis but they never discuss the molting process. 

 

I'd love one of these. Such an interesting species

 

[lkoechle]

41 minutes ago, Weetabix7 said:

 

Wow, that's looking so much better, I can really tell a difference!!!

Can't wait to see what you do with the "Kill Cup" contents.

Thanks! Hey, I found this red macro algae growing on a sponge I threw out.  It's that red scrolly looking one, I put it on the end of the arch towards the kenya tree, behind the stick macroalgae.   Do you know what it is?  It's pretty.  I like it.

 

40 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

Do they hide for long during molting?

 

I've watched a lot on mantis but they never discuss the molting process. 

 

I'd love one of these. Such an interesting species

 

Well, this would be Yoshii's second molt since I've had him.  He disappeared for about a week the first time.  He barricaded both exits to his tunnel and then was very shy when he started coming out again.  So we'll see.  They are interesting for sure.  He probably won't be my last mantis.  Very cool to watch.  He's always up to something!  I have photos of him moving the shell to barricade the exit for this one.  I'll get it up in a few minutes.  I took photos of all 3 tanks with the DSLR this evening.

[lkoechle]

So, @Clown79 the pictures aren't the best because I wasn't aiming on seeing him being his usual industrious self.  I thought he'd pout about me moving stuff around (he does that).  So I was not expecting to see him carrying big shells.

 

I was practicing DSLR stuff like this (okay, not practicing, just taking pictures hoping for something good lol) so I was in manual focus

 

It's a large flat segment of shell between his two raptorial appendages

 

 

You can see the shape better here.  And this is the front entrance.  His back door is the hole between the sponge and the red macro.  That's where he moved this to to close it off.