Mantis feeding...

[reefrunner69]

Well yesterday as I was looking in the tank, I saw a mantis shrimp in one of the holes in the LR. It seemed to be quite brazen, as a matter of fact, usually they will scurry back out of site when they see you. I quickly grabbed a screwdriver, with the intention of squishing him, there was enough room in the hole, for the shrimp to avoid the screwdriver, but he did end up swimming out in the open area of the tank. At that point, I grabbed a net and quickly scooped him up. My first intention was to throw him in the tank with the eel, but I decided he was simply doing what mantis shrimp do and evicted my mom's gold fish from a 2.5g hex tank, mixed some S/W and now he has a new home. But what do I feed him? His diet so far has consisted of a peppermint shrimp and a six line wrasse (he cannot be blamed for the six lines death, it was the one that was semi dead when it got here), I can't afford to maintain the shrimp in the dining style it has become accustomed to, but would like to keep him healthy. Any ideas of what to feed?

I suppose before I get slammed I should point out, I gave my mother a 5g tank I used to keep feeders in, we had been meaning to upgrade the goldfish for a week or so, this just got us in gear...

 

[Bang Guy]

My mantis did very well on a diet of scallops (leftovers from the fish food), leftover fish (again, from the fish food), and Formula One flakes. He LOVED the flakes. Once a month or so I'd throw in a live clam and let him whack on it for a few days until he got it open. I think excercise is crutial to keeping them healthy. Ironically there was an Astrea snail in with him that grew from a baby. He never bothered it!?!

I used PVC to build him a house. A long 'U' using two elbows, two short pieces of 3/4" and one long piece (length of the 10 gal. tank).

|_______________| <--- like this

He would scurry from one end to the other and seemed satisfied with the furniture.

Stomper:

 

[reefrunner69]

Well, here is mine, if he does well in his little home, maybe I'll set him up a decent tank of his own, to be honest I was surprised he was alive this am. But here he is, I've already taught him to roll over...tomorrow, we work on fetch...

 

[Bang Guy]

Outstanding pic! and a beautify Mantis. Aren't they complex? I think they make wonderful pets.

Stomper was in a 10 Gal until someone talked me into selling him. I got ripped off (first time I've been ripped off by a fellow hobbiest) I really regret it!

Guy

 

[reefrunner69]

Outstanding pic! and a beautify Mantis. Aren't they complex? I think they make wonderful pets.

Yeah he is definitely cool. I took your suggestion and put in a piece of pvc like the diagram and he has been in it ever since, I really hope he get's over his shyness as he figures out where the food is coming from.

Stomper was in a 10 Gal until someone talked me into selling him. I got ripped off (first time I've been ripped off by a fellow hobbiest) I really regret it!

Guy

That really sucks that someone would rip you off like that, I hope stomper split their thumbs really good , I hope if you ever get anymore LR, you are able to catch one to put in stompers tank.

 

[fishfreek]

hey kevin can u give us an update on your mantis

 

[reefrunner69]

hey kevin can u give us an update on your mantis

Hey the mantis is doing fine, although I can't think of a cool name like Guy had for his. The shrimp stays in his tube most of the time, comes out to eat and goes back in. I see him out every now and again when it is quiet in the house (read, the kids are at school), maybe I can get some new pics. Anyone have any ideas for a name? Maybe we could have a real Name that fish/shrimp contest.

 

[fishfreek]

Maybe we could have a real Name that fish/shrimp contest.

That would be cool!