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Anonymous

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Are they that rare where you are?
I can pick one up at almost any store in my area any time I want.
No need for Ebay.

Jim
 
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Anonymous

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I wouldn't buy them sight unseen from eBay, and especially at 1/2".

Just IME, not a good chance of survival...

Peace,

Chip
 

Unarce

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Sorry, these aren't mine. I just ran across them on ebay.

I only listed them cause some people mentioned that they were looking for one. I should send a PM to LordNikon.
 
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Anonymous

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try to get your mantis from a member on here...pretty sure someone will hook you up...less likely to screw you over, especially if they like hangin out here...Personally id hate to have a bad mark against my name 8)
 

ecugman

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I checked those out a couple of weeks ago, they don't really identify what type mantis they're selling and when I emailed them they didn't answer any of my questions to my satisfaction.



PS - Glad to see RDO add the Mantis Forum.
 

cdeakle

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I also messaged them through ebay and recieved no response.

Between there non response, bad dicription I think I would pass as well to.

Oh well, my tank is ready and all I need now is a mantis :roll:
 
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Anonymous

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I have been toying with the idea of acquiring a nice spearer, one of the funky types with the weird "flat panel" eyes and such. I could put just a little rock in the rear and a super deep sand bed for it to burrow in. But I've been posting to dr. caldwell the uber-stomatopod guy and am not certain how to recreate the correct substrate in an aquarium. In the wild, mantids that burrow (spearers) make their homes in just the right kind of substrate - when dug it supports the weight, it doesn't cave in. this is due to roots, detritus and debris, etc ... but in aquariums the substrate always caves in. i've experimented with making a few different substrate mixes with various commercial substrates and reef related products, but they all cave in too easily.
 
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Anonymous

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maybe mixing in miracle mud? the Spearer sounds like a neat little guy..doing my research on them, it seems they can be a bit more aggressive too...Bashers do also burrow, perhaps not as heavy but they will, mine does, he has a burrow under a piece of LR...
 
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Anonymous

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Yep, bashers burrow too but they way they approach it is different than spearers, from what I've read.

Basically a spearer will make a little tube in the substrate, not always near the base of any rock or structure, but usually close. Bashers construct more like a network of tunnels under the LR they live in. Mine did. :)
 
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Anonymous

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LordNikon ... I've actually corresponded a bit w/ Dr. Caldwell the stomatopodiatrist (lol) ... he hasn't had much luck setting up an artificial substrate that a mantis can burrow in and said substrate will retain the burrow shape. Generally the sand in the wild is reinforced by bits of decaying organic matter and roots and all sorts of stuff which is difficult (but probably not impossible) to replicate in an aquarium.

The main question is, for me, ok you made the substrate that will hold its shape when the mantis burrows ... what now? I'd imagine that the excess of organics and whatever you use to "reinforce" the sand would lead to severe algae problems, for starters. Additionally, a spearer requires room to burrow, so that basically forces you to have a DSB, blech.
 
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Anonymous

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another thing too, is the activity of spearers..although not as common, i hear you wont get as much activity outta the spearer as you will a smasher...thanx for the info..i too have to correspond with Dr. Caldwell, i have some questions, i cant seem to find answers for...
 

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