My Newest Addition

[Fella]

I used to hate these guys, but now I'm quite into them. It's a mantis shrimp which isn't actually a shrimp but a "stomatopod". These guys have some fascinating features -

- Trinocular vision, the most advanced vision on earth

- Can punch quicker than the eye can see

- Some punch with the velocity of a .22 caliber bullet


Typically they're treated as pests, hitchiking in live rock, but I've devoted a tank to this one. They came in 2 main types "spearers" and "smashers". Smashers destroy rock and club hermit shells to oblivion, while spearers (like the one I have) preys on fish, spearing them in mid air so fast they cannot escape.

I'll try and get some better photos later!

 

[vis]

that is the coolest little thing ive ever seen

 

[Fella]

Such a pretty color too! Will it stay that way or will it get other colors later on as well?

It'll change throughout molts to match his habitat. With it being brightly coloured, he should stay reasonably bright. I do want to get corals into the nano ASAP though, but I'm maintaining some restraint!

 

[mandi]

How COOL! I've read about mantis "shrimp" before but I dont think I've ever seen a picture of one!

 

[insanityseeker]

i want one!!!

 

[Lynden]

Impressive animal. I knew they had powerful vision, but "trinocular"? I didn't even know that existed.

Don't piss him off; he might turn around and punch a hole through the glass!

-Lynden

 

[RadaR]

Cool. Never seen one all one colour. Is your tank glass extra thick? Ive heard that you should have thicker glass than usual just in case he does whack the glass one.
Just to warn you, these things make you bleed if they hit you. Great lil dudes to have though aspecially when they attack a meal, its crazy.

 

[Fella]

Impressive animal. I knew they had powerful vision, but "trinocular"? I didn't even know that existed.

Don't piss him off; he might turn around and punch a hole through the glass!

-Lynden

It's very unlikely that my mantis would do that. It is a Pseudosquilla ciliata, a spearing species, meaning that it's raptoral appendages are developed for spearing fish rather than breaking rocks and hermit shells as they might in the wild.

Of course you do treat this kind of invertebrate with respect.

 

[Barracuda518]

Very cool! Thats definately a fish that will grab your attention

 

[RadaR]

Impressive animal. I knew they had powerful vision, but "trinocular"? I didn't even know that existed.

Don't piss him off; he might turn around and punch a hole through the glass!

-Lynden

It's very unlikely that my mantis would do that. It is a Pseudosquilla ciliata, a spearing species, meaning that it's raptoral appendages are developed for spearing fish rather than breaking rocks and hermit shells as they might in the wild.

Of course you do treat this kind of invertebrate with respect.

So your particular species of mantis shrimp has its attack focused on spearing rather than bashing whilst other mantis species attack would be bashing?

 

[jayjay]

Thats definately a fish

Tisn't.

So your particular species of mantis shrimp has its attack focused on spearing rather than bashing whilst other mantis species attack would be bashing?

Some species have develpoed a spear to spear fish, some have developed the ability to smash hermit ect. with their 'club'.

 

[Gankutsuou]

Hmmmm. So are you going to go with the "preadator + prey" tank where you get live fish for him to spear? Or just use frozen/live bloodworms and brine?

 

[jayjay]

I'd expect it to be fed white bait?

 

[Gankutsuou]

well I'd think it fun to let it jab at live small feeder fish with that description.... and it is natural.

 

[Fella]

If I can avoid it, i won't feed my mantis live food. It's not something I believe is really necessary.

I bought a giant bag of sand eels yesterday, I'm hoping he'll go for some of those.

Thanks for all the comments so far!