Chuck is a Chick - Pics to Prove It

L

Lee1

Turns out our Peacock Mantis "Chuck" is actually a "she". A couple nights ago, I was horrified to see Chuck carrying around some spongy looking thing that was pretty close to his body color - it almost looked like he was turning inside out or something. Whatever it was, he was protecting that thing like Gollum watching over the ring. I did a search for "mantis shrimp eggs" and found the following image which is a dead ringer for what she is carrying around:

http://www.blueboard.com/mantis/pics/seascape_odsc.htm

I've been trying to get a picture of her eggs, but she does not always have it with her and has been hidden away for a while. Looks like in 3 weeks or less there could be a considerable amount of babies in the tank. From what I have read, even trying to rear them in their own tank without powerheads is difficult, but I am going to try. I'll post pics if I can catch her with her eggs.

Lee
 
The babies will eat each other. Might try investing in lots of the little plastic betta bowls. :D Good luck. I'll be watching this thread for sure. Your house may soon sound like a construction site.

Angela
 
I'm not certain that the eggs are fertile without a male around, but good luck with the hatching. They look so adorable in their larval stage...

larva.jpg
alt="">
 
Angela,

Thanks for the heads up. I had not heard that the babies eat each other. I thought it was the adults that cannibalize the babies.

Kevin,

Those things look like aliens (where'd you find that pic?). From what I've read so far (a lot on the mantis forum on RC), it seems like the female can store the male's sperm for up to 3 months. I can't find anything that states the female can or will carry around unfertilized eggs. If you or anyone else knows anything different, please let me know.

Lee
 
Here you go...

How difficult is it to raise adult stomatopods from larvae? (Dr. R. Caldwell) Stomatopod larvae have only been reared successfully from the egg a few times. Brine shrimp nauplii don't seem to provide adequate nutrition. I have had limited success treating them with an additive such as Selco. Your greatest problem said:
http://www.blueboard.com/mantis/ I had to download FireFox browser to view this site.

Angela
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top