Mantis in the open..

BestMomEver · Aug 3, 2018

I bought some straight-from-the-ocean live rock. I happened to get a mantis with the rock... not surprising... it’s happened before! This morning, however, I noticed it just sitting in the sand right out in the open. I’ve never seen that before. Has anyone ever witnessed this before? I plan on removing it but it seems strange to see him like that.

DeniseAndy · Aug 3, 2018

If they are comfortable, they will come out to find food. They are ambush, so maybe it is being a statue to get prey.

Or, maybe it is the molt. Or it is dead. Hard to say.

BestMomEver · Aug 3, 2018

Not dead.... I went to fetch a net and he scooted off. There’s not much to hunt. He’s little. The turbo snails are bigger than he is. There’s a crab in this tank now (coral eater from other tank) but I don’t think the mantis knows he’s there. If he goes after one of my clowns he will be in immediate trouble.

Barry_Cuda · Aug 3, 2018

Probably best to get it out of there ASAP, even if it's small. It'll kill anything it can. Can you tell if it's a spearer or a smasher?

If you have or are willing to get a tank for it, however, they're fantastic subjects for single-critter tanks. I kept one in a 16G nanocube for several years.

ZoWhat · Aug 3, 2018

State Of Alabama ok with you pulling things out of their ocean?

I think a post said a woman is spending 30days in jail bc she was pulling live couch shells. Florida Wildlife was on her like she was a terrorist. She pleaded ignorance. Florida Wildlife didn't care. All over the news

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