Gharner's Pico Reef Journal

gharner

Member
ok, so a lot has changed within the past weeks. i changed out the black sand to white sand. i scrubbed down the whole tank and re-arranged the rockwork. i went to my lfs today and got some snails and scarlet hermits. the tank seems ok for now so im looking to soon get another mantis. i emailed billy @ stomatopod. com and he said that he has a small N. wennerae that doesnt have any raptorial appendages....i may take the little guy, but we'll see
 

gharner

Member
yeah i know.....i have some frozen mysis plus ive also got some flake food and pellets i could try to feed him...but im totally prepared to feed him frozen foods
 
S

sexyshrimp101

Guest
I'm a sucker for a wounded mantis. There was a really pretty O. Scyllarus on the site that had some battle wounds and was missing an appendage back when we were looking for one, and I really wanted to get him, but we decided not to with the cost of shipping and everything. After Monty's first molt, he didn't have an appendage, but he grew it back and now he has two, so if you get this one, it should grow them back.
 

sazarac

Member
What you want is Novus Scratch Remover, or something similar.
A home improvement store may have it or a pc shop.
Or you could try to talk a dab out of someone at a frame shop.
You only need a little bit. Or if someone has an ipod,
they may have some Apple Sauce, that may work.
BTW, you may regret that grape caulerpa.
It's horrible stuff in a display tank.
It's just like underwater kudzu.
I'm still getting rid of it after a year. bleah!
Good luck on the mantis.
I've secretly hoped to get one as a hitch hiker!

Originally Posted by gharner
http:///forum/post/2450821
ok sooo.....good news and bad
now for the bad news.....i have a scratch on the tank already!!!

it is on the out side and i have no idea where it came from....i havnt even really been near the tank for a few days and at first i actually thought is was just a spot where saltwater had evaporated but when i tried to rub it off it didnt go away!!!

is there anything i can do to fill it in??? like clear nail polish or something???
 

gharner

Member
ok...im gonna try to update more often now that im ready for another mantis.
i finally got rid of the nasty algea and im now running chemi-pure in the tank. i went to my lfs and got 25 blue leg hermits; 10 nassarius snails; 10 cerith snails; and 5 margarita snails. all of the clean up crew is going to be dispersed between my 12 gallon, 8 gallon, and 3 gallon. im keepin em on backup for mantis food
. soo....i ordered another mantis last week and i had to wait for it to get shipped out
. he should get here by wednsday around noon! i cant wait and im gonna take some pics and post em.
 

gharner

Member
it just arrived at about 12:30 and it is acclimating so its about an hour waiting time.....
.
so far this little critter is verrrry active
!!! my first one i think was in shock from the whole trip...he was very sluggish. ill be lettin it in its new adobe soon.....
 

gharner

Member
yea ill snap some pics but it wont be for a little while. my camera sucks real bad and the mantis is still hiding alot. i leave for wrestling camp this weekend and ill be gone for 5 days. when i get back the mantis will hopefully be settled in and i can get some decent pics.
 

gharner

Member
sooo, its midnight and i need to get up to work 2morrow. i should be asleep. there is only one problem.....my mantis tank is right next to my bed and it decided it needs to renevate its new home!!!! hahaha. i never thought id be this happy to be kept awake
(im in the other room now and i can still faintly here it smackin away
)
 

gharner

Member
this mantis is not a wennerae like my first one. it is a neogonodactylus oerstedii. i saw its rapts. yesterday and they are typical of an oerstedii....purole with a white ring. for now it sits in its den mostly and just chills. it came 1/2 way out of the den for a short period of time today to look around too, but decided that it looked WAY too dangerouse to explore haha. on the first day it ate a tiny nassarius snail and today i fed it a few pieces of mysis shrimp. hopefully when im gone for a few days it will be quiet enough so it comes out to explore more.
 

gharner

Member
this mantis is not a wennerae like my first one. it is a neogonodactylus oerstedii. i saw its rapts. yesterday and they are typical of an oerstedii....purole with a white ring. for now it sits in its den mostly and just chills. it came 1/2 way out of the den for a short period of time today to look around too, but decided that it looked WAY too dangerouse to explore haha. on the first day it ate a tiny nassarius snail and today i fed it a few pieces of mysis shrimp. hopefully when im gone for a few days it will be quiet enough so it comes out to explore more.
 
Top