mantis shrimp

[sparker]

ok i saw what i think is a mantis shrimp, might be a pistol, however i didn't see any pinchers. just made a pop bottle trap and was wondering what i should use for bait? and if and when i catch it would anyone want it?

 

[aresgod]

if its a pistol its fine in your tank as long as your rock work is stable, even could get a goby and they might pair off. any kind of meaty fare(seafood) not like beef or something. but shrimp, crab, clam ect... will work fine for bait.

 

[sparker]

thanks aresgod, yea if i find it to be a pistol i plan on keeping it. if it is a mantis maybe the lfs will take it i hear some people like them.

 

[ram man]

they arent bad shrimp. poeple make them out to be the spawn of satan. can you post a pic? if its a smasher and is small you need not worry about the tank cracking. if its a spearer. you will loose fish quickly.

 

[ram man]

ok it wouldnt be a problem even if its a peacock to crack the glass. just saw that yuou have a 90gal.

 

[sparker]

well the trap is set i baited it with a small peice of shrimp. I will get a pic if i can, that little sucker is like a rocket. pretty coll looking "shrimp" but i don't want to risk the fish that i actually want to be in the tank getting munched.

 

[ram man]

if it is a smasher you have no need to worry. if it is a spearer... well you will loose fish.

 

[ram man]

ooo and put your finger in and wiggle it like a living fish.

 

[sparker]

success, your advice on wiggling the shrimp worked "ram man", just kidding but i did get em. here are some pics if anyone could i.d. it for me.

 

[ram man]

keep him! he is a small smasher! try to get a pic of the meral spots!(spots on th iner side of the claws. if you dont want him someone on reef central will take him! they will pay you to!

 

[KahluaZzZ]

nice freaking mantis you have there ! Congrats ..nice catch

 

[sparker]

thanks for the i.d. ram man, i guess i got me a freebie... lol. i'll try to get the meral spots in a pic for ya, while i got him out in the open

 

[ram man]

Neogonodactylus curacaoensis maybe?

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthropoda/crustacea/malacostraca/eumalacostraca/royslist/


try this site here. Neogonodactylus curacaoensis just because of the side shot. how big is he?

 

[ram man]

Common name: None

Functional type: Smasher

Range: Caribbean; Florida to Panama and Curacao

Habitat: Coral reefs; often found in live coral

Depth: 3–50 m

Home: Cavities in live coral; often has more than one cavity

Diet: Generalist; small crustaceans and gastropods

Size: 7–70 mm

Color: Brown, olive or light green; white spots on back; telson carinae and teeth green or bluish green; raptorial dactyl blue; meral spot white

Distinguishing Characters: Orange area at base of the eyestalks; telson with spined dorsal submedian and median carinae and spined marginal teeth

Activity: Diurnal; quite reclusive

Aquarium Requirements:
Temperature: 23–28° C

Salinity: 34–35 PSU

Cohabitants: Will eat very small crustaceans and gastropods

Aquarium size (adult): 40 l

Aquarium substrate: Sand and gravel, LR or rubble, cavity

Suitability for Aquarium: Somewhat difficult; shy; requires very stable, good water parameters

Availability: Occasionally found as hitchhiker in shipments of LR from Florida and Caribbean

 

[aresgod]

man that is a sweet mantis.

 

[sparker]

ok so he won't be a problem, right? it's only about one and a half inches in length. I'm just a bit leary of it tho, but I'll do a little quick research in that site that ram man posted. and i'm going to post a few more pics be back in a minute or two.

 

[sparker]

here is a couple more pics, i can't seem to get a good shot

 

[sparker]

thanks a bunch guys, it's nice to be able to ask questions and get some excellent info. Hopefully I can start helping some people out one of these days...lol

 

[ram man]

i am guessing the species i mentioned because of the orange eye stocks and blue raptoral appendages. if you want to keep him in a seperate tank get an arcrilic ten gallon. and dont worry about the glass. a peacock mantis wouldnt be able to crack it. and they get big to(the peacoks) yours will probably be at most 3 inches

 

[ram man]

isorry my computer is acting weird.