Doc Help! have another question...

[Isis]

Ever since we put the damsels in with the mantis he has been acting sort of different.
First he will now close up the hole where he lives evernight and open it up again whent he light comes on in the am.
He also doesn't come out of that hole anymore(at least not to far) and I don't hear the clicking sounds like I used to...
I see him when the holes opened and he IS eating, so I am just wondering if that is normal behavior or not?
He looks healthy (what I can see of him anyway),
Please help!:eek2:

[Angel*Fish]

He's probably deep in his hole searching posts for damsel recipes - or maybe he sneaked out to the bookstore to find a book on catching damsels (when you weren't looking, of course - they're so fast - all you have to do is blink & that's enough time for a mantis to go shopping and get back )

Have you checked at night to see if there is a teeny tiny light glowing from inside his hole? IMO reading up on the subject and plotting and planning is what's going on in that hole. :D

Sorry -- I couldn't resist... I hope your mantis is fine... they are very cautious, careful creatures - my guess is he's just making sure the damsels can't eat him before he finds the perfect recipe!! Sorry -- I did it again, didn't I....:rolleyes:

Maybe he's just busy in there trying to select the right wine to complement such a tasty meal...

[Gonodactylus]

I suspect it is just being more cautious with the fish now present. It is also possible that a molt is coming. Animals become more secretive at that time. As long as he is eating, I wouldn't worry and if he stops eating, I still wouldn't worry because he probably will molt. Not very helpful I'm afraid, but such is the mind of a mantis.

Roy

[Isis]

:lol: :thumbsup: :lol2: mantisagogo I think you are right. I DID see a little light coming from deep in his hole so hmmmmmm......
Maybe he IS looking for that perfect recipe or wine to compliment a fish dinner! :lol2:

Dr. Gonodactylus, thanks you are always helpful. How many times a month do they molt? He hasn't molted yet this month but, it is early and I really haven't seen him to much lately... What will happen when he outgrows his hole:confused: ?
Does he find another one? or just find another rock to slip into?
Also, will a damsel kill a mantis? one of mine is really aggressive but I didn't' think that a mantis COULD be killed by a damsel but I guess weirder things happened?

[Gonodactylus]

A large, aggressive damsel can cause injury to a mantis shrimp. As a rule of thumb, the animals are roughly the same size, there should be no problem.

I can't remember what species you have, but a large (5 inch) O. scyllarus will molt about every two - three months if fed well. A large Gonodactylus (4 inch) will molt about every 3-4 months. However, this varies considerably depending on nutrition, etc.

A large smashing stomatopod grows about 5-7% in length when it molts. Therefore, they do not quickly outgrow their cavities and often they will chip away the entrance so that they will fit.

Roy

[Angel*Fish]

Isis - thanks for taking my post the way it was intended! I read it again after it was up and thought it sounded a tad insensitive to your concerns:(

I am rather recently hooked on these little guys and can't resist the urge to assign them human motivations and personalities -- they remind me so much of cats, which are my other favorite animal to anthropomorphize (sp?)

And I still say that my GS Maroon is trying to figure out a way to flush the 3 chromis down the toilet -- if looks could kill....:rollface:

[Isis]

Once again Dr. You are wonderfully helpful! I am not sure which mantis I have. He/she is a dull pinkish brown color with a hint of a bluish color on the smashers.Haven't seen any that look like him so I can't say which kind it is for sure.
Mantisagogo,
I love cats too! Bashiba and I have four. They are all 2 yrs old! they are our pride and joys! We have 9 fish tanks that the cats sit and stare at all the time. it is funny to watch them trying to get at the fish and not understanding why they can't!
Just so you both know Mr. Ugly is back to his old smashing self now(for the most part) I think that he is finally fed up with the Damsels and is going to have his fish dinner soon! LOL! he is out every time I check on him and he is still eating so I think he is doing well.
Thanks again for all your help! I know I'll be asking more questions soon!

[ISFRAEL]

i thought my mantis wasnt getting out much until i found out he had about 3 secret back entrances i didnt know about, after watching these secret holes i found that he was in and out all day long running around the tank.

[Isis]

His tank is right next to my computer so if he was out I'd see him, I think....:confused: Hmmm. Maybe not. who knows???:confused: :confused:
Well at least he seems ok... He is really getting upset with the damsels though. somedays I think that he should just get rid of them and be doen with it, but then again who'd he have to bother him if he did?:confused:

Ok now I anve another prolem. Bashiba says I have Bristleworms in my tank. are they a problem? Will they hurt Mr Ugly? or will he eat them???????

[Angel*Fish]

I don't think Mr.Ugly has any thing to worry about unless you put something in there like a trigger fish! Don't know if your mantis likes to eat bristle worms, but I would think if one of them should be concerned, it is definitely the bristle worm:D

[Isis]

Mantis,
Do you think he could have found a recipe for bristleworms?? LOL!