Mantis Laid Eggs

[Kirblit]

Yesterday I was trying to feed my mantis and it didn't want anything to do with the food so I figured it was about to molt. Well this morning when I got up I looked in to see if it molted and saw and egg sack!! I haven't been able to find much info on breeding mantis online but I don't think that I could raise them if I tried anyway but it would be cool to watch it all happen. I don't know if the eggs are even fertilized, but maybe. I have had her for about 3 weeks now and she came in as a hitchhiker in someones tank, so depending on gestation periods they may actually be fertile.


Here are some pics

 

[AQTCJAK]

Very cool indeed

 

[tippMANn98]

cool...i guess its always a 50/50 chance that they ARE fertile...but probably not...

 

[KimPossible]

Too Cool !

 

[Kirblit]

cool...i guess its always a 50/50 chance that they ARE fertile...but probably not...

I agree but this is the only chance that I will have at them being fertile so heres to hope

 

[fishnu]

I agree but this is the only chance that I will have at them being fertile so heres to hope

Plus if they're not fertile, they're a delicacy.

Note: This is a joke. Do not try this at home.

 

[tippMANn98]

a little Mantis Caviar on some crackers....MMMMMM

 

[Kirblit]

I'm sure my coral would love them, but my luck I would put them in my DT and they would survive and I would have a hundred mantis in there. From what I have gathered they will be near impossible to raise. They hatch in about 3 weeks and then they become planktonic before settling out on rocks to start a life. After that they become highly cannibalistic and have to be separated into individual containers to raise and will depend on rotifers. I have a guy in my reef club that we all get pods from (www.copepodgeek.com Home) that I could get them from but I just don't see it all coming together that way.

 

[Dentoid]

Isn't this hobby the greatest! How many people can say they have witnessed a pregnant Mantis shrimp! Enjoy the phenomenon! Who knows, it's remote, maybe one will grow out in your sump.

 

[Gina]

I think it's really cool. Mantis are cool in their own tank. Good luck!

 

[Kirblit]

Isn't this hobby the greatest! How many people can say they have witnessed a pregnant Mantis shrimp! Enjoy the phenomenon! Who knows, it's remote, maybe one will grow out in your sump.

Actually she has her own 3 gal nano all to herself

 

[vdituri]

Coolio!
Best of luck with the eggs.

 

[Kirblit]

I'm still trying to decide if it's worth trying or not, I have a thread going on RC and the stomatopod master is telling me how I would have to go about doing it, and it's A LOT of work!

 

[Triggerjay]

Isn't this hobby the greatest! How many people can say they have witnessed a pregnant Mantis shrimp! Enjoy the phenomenon! Who knows, it's remote, maybe one will grow out in your sump.

I have! Mine laid eggs,,... and they hatched! none of the babies survived though. there were thousands of them! Kinda looked like Mysid shrimp.. I no longer have any of my mantis shrimp.. too much work to top off a 5g tank all the time.

Jason

 

[rmlevasseur]

i dare ya to stick a finger in there and poke those eggs

 

[Triggerjay]

LOL!!!!! You MUST take pics with the other hand when you do it though.. better yet,... how about a video..?


Jason

 

[Triggerjay]

Dp

 

[Kirblit]

i dare ya to stick a finger in there and poke those eggs

I don't think that would be the greatest idea in the world, although she has been rather docile lately ever since she laid the eggs. When I try to give her food right at her door she isn't really interested in it and she doesn't "smack" any foreign objects that come near her burrow at all, maybe she just feels comfortable in her new home.

 

[rmlevasseur]

made a wife joke, then wisely changed my mind about sharing it