Is my g.viridis Behaviour normal?

[Richlard]

Hey all first time using this I recently got a g.viridis and he was eating well (I feed him snails) but now he has stopped eating all together, he will punch the snails if I put them in front of him but will not eat them is this a bad sign or is he just preparing to molt. Also he is quite shy compared to my p.ciliata I had. All he does is look out of his hole and recently won’t even do that.

 

[Brady4000]

Sounds like the mantis is about to molt. Mine stops eating for about a week before a molt. Then doesn’t eat for another week after. Might take some raw shrimp if it’s near it’s hole. try giving it a piece of raw fish.

If it is about to molt, don’t keep putting snails in front of it. They get soft before a molt and it can break it’s hammers off if you make them strike.

They hide before a molt because they are vulnerable, if you mess up it’s molt by bugging it, they can and will die. Best thing to do, is turn off the lights in the tank, if you can, and leave it alone.

Mantis shrimp won’t starve themself, so don’t worry about hand feeding it food, if foods in the tank, it can find it. Soft food is more enticing when they are soft, because they don’t want to strike.

They also hide a lot more aka “shy” when they are about to molt because of their vulnerability.

 

[TheDragonsReef]

Make sure your ammonia isn't building up if he's killing and not eating the snails and that youre removing dead ones. How often were you feeding him?

 

[Richlard]

Sounds like the mantis is about to molt. Mine stops eating for about a week before a molt. Then doesn’t eat for another week after. Might take some raw shrimp if it’s near it’s hole. try giving it a piece of raw fish.

If it is about to molt, don’t keep putting snails in front of it. They get soft before a molt and it can break it’s hammers off if you make them strike.

They hide before a molt because they are vulnerable, if you mess up it’s molt by bugging it, they can and will die. Best thing to do, is turn off the lights in the tank, if you can, and leave it alone.

Mantis shrimp won’t starve themself, so don’t worry about hand feeding it food, if foods in the tank, it can find it. Soft food is more enticing when they are soft, because they don’t want to strike.

They also hide a lot more aka “shy” when they are about to molt because of their vulnerability.

Alright thank you I have tried feeding shrimp and fish he’s not having any of it I will keep the lighting low for him and leave him alone thank you

 

[Richlard]

Make sure your ammonia isn't building up if he's killing and not eating the snails and that youre removing dead ones. How often were you feeding him?

I am removing any snails that arnt being eaten and I will test the ammonia tonight just to be sure thanks a ton

 

[Richlard]

how active are your viridis? Just wondering what to expect?

 

[Brady4000]

how active are your viridis? Just wondering what to expect?

I have a Peacock, the mantis is extremely active a week after molting, and two weeks prior to molting. His/her favorite thing to do is hang out at the front of its cave and stare at me all day lol.

When I mean active, the mantis likes to build, and attack hermit at night. Prior to the two weeks of not eating/molting.

 

[OneInchPunch]

It may be over feeding as well (although moult is cerainly a possibility). I own a peacock mantis and when I first got him I fed daily which he would take for about a week then would not eat for 2 weeksor more. Eventually I figured out he was a lot happier being fed every 2-3 days although even then he will turn his nose up sometimes. Post moultis a different matter and for 2-3 weeks after he is a nutter who will eat anything!