Mantis Shrimp

[Ehudd]

I would like to start a Thread on a G Smithii.
I feel mantis shrimp are COMPLETELY mis understood and maybe by looking at this thread you will see how fasinating they can be.
I might take awhile to get under way, camera issues.
He is housed in a Aqua one 320. I think its like 29 L? Substrate is around 2" thick, his spieces dont live under sand but its still nice to have a lot of it so it can make a better fort. For now his Diet with consist with Hermit crabs, and Snails. I will be introducing some boxer shrimp for his lunch to. I have tried many feeding diets, i have had 2 previous to this one, including frozen white bait and prawns. I think they would eat mostly anything. I have had in 1 day, and he has already destroyed 2 hermits!! He is around 3" maybe 2.5.
well i will start with adding a photo and then i will take u on his journey in my tank, which will be destruction, so if u dont like the fact its eating hermits and snails and other things, please do not post in here, otherwise enjoy!

 

[bunjiweb]

Personally I think going out and buying live stock to feed your mantis shrimp is a complete waste of time. I have 2 myself and feed them frozen prawn, frozen sand eels and various other bits and pieces, but I believe buying live food for them is really a waste of time.

Ben

 

[Lynden]

Yeah; but it's just so totally awesome.

 

[Ehudd]

sorry you feel like that.
Read up i did say not to comment if u didnt like it, Waste of time or not man, i dont want this to be a Flaming Thread.
Besides, we take creatures in captive, least i can do is do it the natural way. What a reason huh? just how i feel, mixed opinions.
They have weapons for a reason, if not used enough they will loose them in a molt, from experience. And Frozen foods seems to put to much nitrates in my tanks.
I dont know man, but pls feel free to show some pics, lets just keep this friendly.

 

[Lynden]

I think bunjiweb was just letting you know that there is an easier way.

 

[SkiFletch]

Smithii's are some of the coolest mantises out there if you ask me. My only question is where/how did you get one?

 

[bunjiweb]

So if the mantis was a stabber rather than a clubber, would you be buying live marine fish every week to feed it? Somehow I doubt it...

Oh and these are forums, I can post whatever the hell I want in whatever thread I want. It is my opinion that bothering to get live food for a mantis is a waste of time and unecessary. If you want to do that then thats your own problem, I personally would rather use a cheaper dead food!

Puffers feed on corals and molluscs in the wild primarily, how many people do you see buying corals and live molluscs to feed their puffers?

And how about butterfly fish? Do you know many people who buy hard corals to feed their butterflies who in the wild would be eating that all day every day.

Ben

 

[Danno]

I herd that the mantis shrimp when they club its food it makes a super sonic air pocket in the water. I wonder if you can see it when you feed him

 

[Synirr]

I want a smithii so bad!! I just got an O. scyllarus myself, but I want something smaller to go on my desk, too. Lucky you for managing to find one!

As for feeding live food, it has been suggested that the occasional live meal is good because it forces the mantis to exercise its raps, which makes it less likely that they will be lost during a molt. Not necessary all the time, but a hermit crab or snail once every week or two isn't a bad idea... besides, it gives the mantis (and you) some entertainment! Some people prefer to feed live all the the time to prevent uneaten food from building up in the tank. Many stomatopods will burry uneaten food in their burrow for later, so it will go unseen and is difficult to clean out. If you feed all live and the mantis isn't hungry, it simply won't kill the animal until later.