Bob the mantis needs your thoughts!

Bob's last molt was a little over 4 weeks ago. It was a very hard molt on him and lasted about a week for him to finally shed off his shell (highly unusual)

Well tonight I come in and see him on his back with his tail hanging out of his den. He is kicking his swimmettes very fast. I look into hte den and see that he has shed his upper body shell. This is not a good sign that he is on his back and in the open. He has since kicked himself out of his den and is laying wiht his head out of his den on his back. I have turned off all his lights, my other tank lights that is in the room and have left the room so not to stress him. I am hoping he can pull through this!

I have not tested his water today but this weekend everything was fine....neg ammonia, nitrates and nitrites. This tank has been up for over 1.5 years so it is stable. Corals and the damsel look great. He had been eating very well and all of his food is soaked in vitamins and hufa's. So not sure what is going on...but all thoughts would be appreciated

 

Hope he makes it! Has he been in there a year and a half?

 

I have had him for about 6 months or so I guess. I stress everytime he goes into a molt, but never has he done this...he is very big probably about 10" I think and very cool!

 

Good luck Bob!! We're pullin for ya in the Whippy house!!! Hayabusa (dragonet) say's you gotta make it!!

 

thats a huge mantis!

 

i'd like to see a pic!!

 

have you checked iodine levels? i know inverts need adequate iodine to molt easily.

 

It is killing me to not go in there and check on him. You can actually see a video of him that I recorded this Sunday with him in it.

I feed him krill mainly so he gets all the iodine that way.

Thanks for the well wishes!



I dont have a good picture of his entire body..but like i said at the end of the video he is there

 

Shrimps are such characters. I love em.



Hang in there Bob!!!

 

Seems to be some debate about this. A member here Curt (inwall75) has been taking care of mantis shrimp for years, and he writes that iodine forces shrimp to molt rather than helping them, and that iodine is detrimental to keeping mantises.

Here is the article: http://www.seasl.org/wave/Vol 1 Num 3 Final.pdf


Get well soon Bob!! Mr. Kane Fister wishes you well.