Mantis Shrimp Question... kinda urgent

[Nea]

Our peacock mantis shrimp (female) has been laying on her back and flapping her swimmers... has anyone else seen this? Her eyes are up and she is alert, but it just seems odd to me that she would do this.

She still chases the food stick around, but goes back to this position afterwords.

 

[Otto_VonBacon]

flapping fast or slow? Never had a mantis shrimp but my experience with freshwater inverts might be able to help.

If shes looking lethargic there might not be enough oxygen in the water.
Or she could be molting??

I don't know anything about mantis shrimp so i have no idea if they even molt or not.

 

[fish junkie]

arent mantis shrimp the tank busters they talk about on tv?

 

[mr.reef24]

Our peacock mantis shrimp (female) has been laying on her back and flapping her swimmers... has anyone else seen this? Her eyes are up and she is alert, but it just seems odd to me that she would do this.

She still chases the food stick around, but goes back to this position afterwords.

Has the ph or salinity changed? what have you been feeding her??

mr.reef24

 

[BIGgourami]

she's not prego is she?

 

[Nea]

she isn't prego lol... no male. but we have only had her for about a week.

I have spoke with some other ppl on another forum and they agree that she is getting ready for a molt, only normally they do this odd stuff in their dens and no one sees them.

They suggested that I cover the tank and keep the lights off until she is done, because she is struggling with it.

and yes mantis are the ones that break glass, but it is actually very rare.

 

[BIGgourami]

we'll crustaceans carry infertile eggs even if there's no male

i ahve one skunk cleaner shrimp in my 29 how has a batch of eggs every month or so...


i was going to comment on the molting thing, about how i would think they'd be int he burrow to do that.. but you beat me

 

[mr.reef24]

if she is struggling to molt your calcium and alkalinity are probably too low and stressing her to act strange with good calcium level's she'll molt with ease.

mr.reef24

 

[BIGgourami]

iodine as well, especially if you notice any cracks or holes in the new shell

 

[~ocean]

You probably should check the ph, or perhaps overfeeding, or molting