Reef Discussion

Ben Daley

/dev/null
Dec 23, 2016
162
101
Melbourne
Stomatopod Id?
In the weekend I picked up this little mantis to live in the refugium and was hoping some one might be able to give me a positive ID on species.
Sorry about the picture, best I can get right now. The 4 white spots are salt on the glass.

Some characteristics:
  • Size is currently ~30mm
  • Smasher (very punchy)
  • Diurnal (very active)
  • Carapace is a very dark red/maroon (almost black) with slightly lighter stripes
  • Meral spot is white
  • Antennal scales are yellow with an orange base
  • Tail fins on the sides of the telson are orange
  • The spiky bits in the middle of the telson are very prominent
  • Legs and antennae are a red/orange colour
I took a look at Roys list to make an ID and Gonodactylus chiragira seems quite likely, but the body colour and behaviour don't seem to match the description.

adrive_google_com_uc_7b9ae144cd692c4dcd3814fec9663de7._.jpg
 

lukusis

Member
Sep 3, 2014
415
144
Negris Tiggeris*

























*Completely made up via Winnie the Pooh! :p



Looks awesome though!
 

Ben Daley

/dev/null
Dec 23, 2016
162
101
Melbourne
Appreciate the link @slin1977 - perfect, thank you ... will make for a nice bit of light reading before bed.

G. ternatensis or G. smithii could be great with your SPS :D
 

slin1977

Member
Jul 13, 2011
3,476
1,661
Sydney
Appreciate the link @slin1977 - perfect, thank you ... will make for a nice bit of light reading before bed.

G. ternatensis or G. smithii could be great with your SPS :D
Years ago I had a mantis , in fact it was my first marine tank, hitchhiked in the freshest greenest live rock.
He became quite tame in fact , never had any issues with it and the rest of my tank mates.
Might have picked up another a few weeks ago with the live rock bones I got. Since recently there are some loud clicks in the tank.... but the fire gobies have both been smashed, coincidence???
 

Ben Daley

/dev/null
Dec 23, 2016
162
101
Melbourne
Years ago I had a mantis , in fact it was my first marine tank, hitchhiked in the freshest greenest live rock.
He became quite tame in fact , never had any issues with it and the rest of my tank mates.
Might have picked up another a few weeks ago with the live rock bones I got. Since recently there are some loud clicks in the tank.... but the fire gobies have both been smashed, coincidence???
Sorry to hear about the gobies - it sounds like more than a coincidence IMO, but guess it could be a pistol shrimp.
Do you have other vulnerable livestock?
 

slin1977

Member
Jul 13, 2011
3,476
1,661
Sydney
Have not seen the creature that makes the pistol shrimp sounds, I once caught a pistol, it was 15mm big it was loud as... this one is even louder. As for being vulnerable I'm pretty sure this bad boy could knock out anything in its path if it wanted.
I had a mint Randall pistol shrimp got sucked into the gyre the day it moulted.
 

Ben Daley

/dev/null
Dec 23, 2016
162
101
Melbourne
Done my light reading and still think the mantis is a juvenile male G. chiragra.
We've decided to name the little guy Winston (inspired by the famous fight them on the beaches speech).
Fed him a small piece of prawn tonight using a bamboo skewer - had forgotten how much fun these are to feed.

@slin1977
Sounds like you need to remove whatever it is.
If it's any consolation, I think I saw a Eunicid last night :rage