I have not been dropping by too much lately but...

[DragonForce]

I would like to give everyone an update as to where I am at in this hobby!

Over the last month or so I really got into stomatopods(mantis shrimp)

I have setup a 6g nano only containing a 2 inch G.Platysoma and a 12g bowfront eclipse that houses a 4 inch O.Scyrllarus(peacock mantis shrimp)

Something about these highly intelligent "pests" has really interested me quite a bit since I started up my 37g reef and thats what I have been doing for the past month or so.

My 37g reef has been going very well except the fact that my flower pot coral is on its way out. In good news, both the heads on my frogspawn are splitting!

 

[melosu58]

Glad to know that your still there.

 

[Dr.Nate]

cool shrimp! not a bad idea, really, having separate tanks for them--guess that's the only way, huh? Thanks for the pics.

 

[Brenden]

How many more mantis you want? I had a cool red one but sold it to a worker at the LFS. I have a few more left in my tank but they are not big enough for concern. The mantis are really cool creatures.

 

[Lagger]

LOL at Brendens avatar! Hahaha!

 

[DragonForce]

The only real way to keep them is in their own tank. My male platysoma is very mello and I think it would be possible to keep him in my main if I target fed him some silverside weekly and replaced a few snails/hermits here and there. My peacock however is a nasty little dude. I feed him goldfish and ghost shimp weekly and he pummels them in 1 blow, it's really amazing to watch.

I would probably consider taking maybe 1 more mantis if it was a G.Smithii or N.wennerae

I also came across an amazing site that can actually help you identify these little creatures;

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthro...costraca/royslist/species.php?name=n_wennerae

If anyone has any questions on setting up a mantis tank I would be glad to help with any questions.

 

[vsnsofadrgn]

brenden, i will take one when you catch them!! i have the tank setup already (boyfriend wants one) ill pay for shipping!!

 

[Brenden]

Here you go dragonforce.

 

[DragonForce]

Haha, thats a spearer type too, they are real hard to come by becuase they don't come on live rock, and they require a special setup with 1.5x the amount of sand to the length of the animal. Some of those guys get up to a foot long.

 

[hackteck]

how big was that mantis shrimp branden?

 

[Brenden]

Lets see...When I cooked him for dinner. ..I do not know. Not mine. Looks like a gallon size ziplock bag so I am guessing 10" head to tail, not counting legs.