Jwin's new mantis

Ha ha - Jwin got a new mantis shrimp today and he doesn't even know it! ;D One of the LFS guys was moving some rock around and got popped by this little guy. He called and I went and got him (or her?). Interesting coloration - brown and white, but the smashers look greenish. Jwin has a late class on Monday, so he'll just have to wait til he gets home!

 

what a nice mom. but not surprising . and very coool lookin mantis. what type is it?

 

The things a mom will do! I'm not really what type it is. The coloration matched up with Odontodactylus havanensis, but that could be totally coincidental. They are common off the Florida Keys/Caribbean. Our LFS has a big LR tank, which is where they usually find their hitchhikers. He's only about an inch or so long - pretty tiny.

 

looks like a tiger mantis!

 

cool purchase mom.. He's going to love it..

 

he not on much anymore. college in the way? maybe he could drop out and be with us for a while? lol jk. cant wait to see it in his tank!

 

I'm around, you just don't look properly And yes. Taking 19 hours of classes, and about to start up a job, leaves little time left. Which is good and bad. I've been lurking 3reef alot, just not posting.

And I don't know where my mom learned how to estimate the length of something. Because this guy is tiny. He's close to the size princess was when I got her, about 3/4" long. She was maybe 1/2". I'll have to wait for this little guy/girl to either grow up a bit, or let me get a really good look at it before I know exactly what species. Should be fun though

 

yay hes alive! any ways oh mantis god. what kind is it? are you gonna change anything in your tank for it?

 

I'm going to wait for the little guy to give me a good look at him for a good ID. If it's a Odontodactylus havanensis like we think it is, i'll know by the red spots on his face thingies. He'll want less rock and more room to roam, so I may fix that up for him and shove some rock into the fuge. If it's not a Havanensis, I'll rethink his home. I'm hoping its a Odontodactylus havanensis, I've read good things about them Aside from being kind of sensitive to water quality though. I can handle that. I mean, if this guy survived being in a live rock shipment (no heat or care while traveling, no acclimation to LFS) he'll be fine The LFS found him because one of the employees was moving rock in their live rock tank, and he popped him in the hand I like him already He's a spunky dude. Or dudette...

And I am in no way shape or form a Mantis expert If anyone's an expert on this site, it's Inwall (Curt). I'm just in the mantis crowd. I consider myself to be the least knowledgable of things mantis.

 

MantisShrimps.co.uk - Species Care & Identification - Odontodactylus havanensis

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthro...straca/royslist/species.php?name=o_havanensis