Keeping a Mantis shrimp

[cranberry]

The peacock and the ciliata would come out right after it molted looking for a handout.
As they get older they grow less and thus molt less. The will still molt once or twice a year. I'm sure one reason for this is to fix shell injuries or limb removals. As they get older and "wear" their shell longer, they are prone to shell rot. After awhile, they are unable to get out of their molted shell because the rot attaches strongly to both to the old shell and bores into their meat. They are kind of permanently attached to the old shell.
This is what is can look like from the outside.....

But then from the inside O.O

 

[nwdyr]

breakfast anyone????

 

[cranberry]

My dogs actually DID eat it when I turned my back. I had it on the floor taking pictures. Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.

 

[florida joe]

Wow Renee great pictures. I for one have never thought of mantis shrimp as anything other then the scourge of our hobby. The more I learn about them the more I am amazed. If nothing else I hope my build has given some people new insight to these misunderstood (in my case at least) wonderful creatures.

 

[cranberry]

We've always kept mantis' and there has been a low interest in them the last few years. For a long time everything was all about coral frags and trendiness. I think that is dieing off a little in some areas, partly because of economics, and we are starting to turn back towards our critters. They were nice and popular when forums like "Grimreefers" were was still around.
These are amazing critters, and I don't think people get why I get a little ticked when they talk about disposing of them inhumanely when they hitch hike in. Anyone who has kept them will understand their intelligence after time and learn to respect them.
We're going to be doing something a little novel with our tank coming up in a bit. I think you'll enjoy it.

 

[renogaw]

i was showing the family my little guy on saturday. it was hanging upside down, looking up at us from it's cave, wondering what we were doing...

 

[florida joe]

Renee cant wait to see what you have planned
Ren sorry if i missed it,what kind of mantis do you have ?

 

[scopus tang]

Originally Posted by renogaw
http:///forum/post/3231158
my n. wrennarae leaves my astreas alone, yet devours periwinkles... as for feeding, i honestly only feed a few times a week, a piece of krill. i have an over abundance of amphipods and, maybe, asterina stars that seem to keep him/her happy when i don't plop about 30 periwinkles in.
Just for Joe

 

[deejeff442]

i asked my supplier to find a peacock and he got back and said he never had anyone want one.so he is looking for me.which is good because we are moving and the weather is cold and getting lazy to move fast in 40 degrees.
amazing how much junk piles up around the house.

 

[florida joe]

And that Randy is exactly why you are my care taker

 

[florida joe]

Smart or lazy I introduced the snail you see on the left to Lola last night. She took it onto her borrow and I heard the distinctive tap tap on the shell. After a while she tossed it out of her burrow unable to crack it. Today I tried it again as you can see she ignored it wonder did she recognize that she could not break the shell.

Checking the roof on the burrow next to hers for leaks

 

[renogaw]

the turbo astreas have one mighty tough shell. i'll find out in a few days if the mithrax i put in to help out with some algae is tough enough to keep mine away...the front claws are about 2" long each....

 

[florida joe]

yea Ren i put the turbo in knowing that they are hard and the shape may cause a problem in cracking but at the very least she would get a work out BUT she now ignores it very interesting, can you post some pics

 

[florida joe]

FWI Lola does not like squid, she will take a piece of it into her burrow and then after tasting it she will throw it out. I have added more rocks it seems that that is something that cannot be overlooked in setting up a tank.
Interesting. I f you look at post #245 you will see she is looking at the top of the burrow next to hers. She moved a rock for some reason on the top of it. As intelligent as I now know they are I cannot believe it was just an arbitrary move.

 

[shrimpy brains]

Interesting! I, too, beleive it's part of a plan. I wonder what she's up to?
Vacancy sign?

 

[florida joe]

Vacancy sign?
you may not be that far off
Finding the rocks at the opening of Lola burrow in somewhat of a different arrangement each morning , I started wondering if she was closing up the burrow after dark and opening it at first light. I decided to cover the tank at 8 pm and at 11pm with camera at the ready take a pic. Seems the lady likes her privacy at night

 

[jstdv8]

about the reflective thing. Wouldnt it be easiest to just put in an underwater video camera to see what they see?
My brother has one we use for ice fishing. Surely someone has allready done this.

 

[hunt]

i take it it doesnt like the right side

 

[florida joe]

woman's prerogative i guess

 

[florida joe]

Ok now in the world did Lola get that white rock onto the LR

While I was enriching some mysis for my DT I decided to give Lola a taste. I used a sea squirt and as I attempted to draw some up into the squirt the mysis stuck to the opening (a good thing) I was able to present the mysis to her without having to squirt them into the tank. She loved them
FYI notice the reflection in the adjacent side of tank
Lola has finished rearranging her entrance seems she has made it just big enough for her to get in and out. Also easier to defend I would imagine