Success!!!! He is all mine

[Squirrel_reefer]

across the Mantis.

Beautiful! what species is he?? I have a N. Wennerae and he is my pride and joy. Loving the feel of your tank, very cool!

 

[Wiz]

I'm told he is a G. chiragra. Cool Lil guy. Bout 3-4". And not extremely shy.

 

[Squirrel_reefer]

I'm told he is a G. chiragra. Cool Lil guy. Bout 3-4". And not extremely shy.

very cool! I am definitely a mantis lover

 

[Wiz]

Super hard to reach back there so forgive the angle and shortness of the video. But it looks that he was making his home bigger and seems more comfortable. His tunnel extends to the side of the tank now. And he is very agile.

 

[TheEngineer]

Are you listening to the Jackson 5? Lol

 

[Wiz]

I don't think so. It was whatever it was on television at the time. Lol

 

[Lionfish Lair]

I wonder if the ambush preds tend to have their homes more in the open in the sandbed, versus building a cave of sorts.

 

[Wiz]

That is exactly what I thought. I separated all the rubble that was in the front of the tank so there's a clear spot in the middle hoping he would take up residence there. I'm hoping right now he's just building a central base. I read that they usually have several entrances to their tunnels

 

[mikenestle]

He's awesome!

 

[Weeble10]

I can't look but a I can't look away either....really cool Wiz, keep the vids coming, I'm following along

 

[JaimeAdams]

I AM SOOOOOOO HAPPPY THAT YOU GOT ONE!!!!!!!!!!

I don't know how I missed this!

 

[Wiz]

Thanks

 

[Wiz]

He has receded back to the right side of the fuge. Building his lair underneath the red algae now. In this video if you upgrade the quality in the options you can see him grabbing rocks and pulling them in.
On a side note, my mantis was traveling around the refugium today. I actually saw him chase the Blue Devil. Did not have time to get it on video. Still excited though, first time I've seen him out from under the Rock

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Dude.... he is SO cool.

 

[Wiz]

I can't tell you how great it is to watch him. Even though he's very difficult to get it at the moment. Lol

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Perhaps the one thing I would worry about finding one in a stocked reef tank was him destabilizing the rockwork.

 

[Wiz]

The refugium only has one strip of rocks going across the back about 2" off the glass. Plus 6" of Oolitic cushion lol

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Ya, you made him a home... I meant the main reason for extraction when found as a hitchhiker is the structures weren't built thinking someone would be doing major excavations underneath.

 

[Wiz]

Ah. I see. That is the main reason I did not get an engineer goby which is one of my favorite fish. So I understand it

 

[elfda]

He's so stinkin' cool!