Molino Posted May 30, 2006 Report Share Posted May 30, 2006 (edited) All this talk about Mantis' has got me interested in them myself so when I saw one at Big Als here in Edmonton I decided to scoop it up. It's about 1" long and cost me $20. The staff at the LFS tell me it's a Peacock Mantis (Odontodactylus scyllarus), apparantly it was being kept by one of the staff at home, but they changed their mind and brought him into the store. I'll do my best to get some pictures of this little guy but it's going to be difficult. So far in it's new home it has already begun digging tunnels under the peice of LR with exits on both the front and back. There are also tunnels in the rock that appear to run right through it, which the Mantis Loves!!!! Right now it's tankmate is a sole Hermit Crab. When feeding the Hermit Crab his NLS pellets I decided to leave one in front of Mr Mantis' front porch and he promptly took it into his home and began smashing it, which was easily heard. He also poked his head out of another entrance still carrying the pellet with him. I'll have to think of a good name for him. I think this is an aquatic pet definately worthy of a name Edited May 30, 2006 by Molino Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunl Posted May 30, 2006 Report Share Posted May 30, 2006 A peacock? How about calling him "Darcy's", and telling me I can buy him from you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toirtis Posted May 30, 2006 Report Share Posted May 30, 2006 Great catch...I would start a new tank just for a peacock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nandopsis Posted May 30, 2006 Report Share Posted May 30, 2006 Sorry Tim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rudy Posted May 30, 2006 Report Share Posted May 30, 2006 Good work Molino. I wasn't sure whether you were going to or not as I called late in the day and it was still there so I had J picking up the ball. I talked to the girl who owned it and she does not seem like the most competent person in the wor;ld to decide it was a peacock. First of all for a peacock to be collected, or even found at 1 inch it would be very unusual. Secondly for a Male peacock (by the described green) this would be even more unusual. Here exact words were "there are two variants of peacock a red one and a green one. This is the green one". Anyway it would be cool if it is but I seriously doubt it. I am going to take a wild guess and say it is most likely a Neogonodactylus wennerae due to some of the features she told me it had and that it was from live rock in Florida. Which in it self is very cool. They are all cool! Post some pics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Molino Posted May 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2006 Thanks for the possible ID rudy, hopefully I'll have some pics of this guy soon and we can get a better ID the the little guy. Any idea on how fast these will grow? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunl Posted May 31, 2006 Report Share Posted May 31, 2006 Shouldn't get longer than 20 inches. Oh, how I wanted to see the look on your face when you read that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Molino Posted May 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2006 Oh, how I wanted to see the look on your face when you read that. If I hadn't already done some reading about these guys you would have had me going -roll- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunl Posted May 31, 2006 Report Share Posted May 31, 2006 I can just imagine some poor bastard who just bought one and reading that, thinking about a 20 inch smasher in his tank. -roll- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rudy Posted May 31, 2006 Report Share Posted May 31, 2006 My Small Smithii has doubled in size in 3 months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Froggie Posted May 31, 2006 Report Share Posted May 31, 2006 thinking about a 20 inch smasher in his tank. Yes please! I'll take two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Molino Posted May 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2006 My Small Smithii has doubled in size in 3 months. Thanks rudy. He should grow pretty quick then thinking about a 20 inch smasher in his tank. Yes please! I'll take two. I don't know about that you'd need an extremely strong tank I can tell even with my 1" long Mantis that it is very powerful. I can hear it across the room smashing the LR, and have seen it break off small chips. I do have to admit though one of these that was 20" long would be very cool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Molino Posted June 11, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2006 Any idea as to how long these guys take to molt? Mine has closed up one of the entrances to his lair and has been hidden away for 4-5 days. I have not seen or heard him during this time. Hoping it's just molting but I'm not sure how long that would take... Water conditions are fine (no ammonia or nitrite). The resident Hermit Crab and the striped Damsel I have in there for QT are doing fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rudy Posted June 11, 2006 Report Share Posted June 11, 2006 My smithii was just molting for 2 weeks. I did hear him clicking a bit so I am not sure. I would wait it out for another week or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Molino Posted June 25, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2006 Just an update. My Mantis did start poking out its head about a week ago. Still alive and kicking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.