What is the Juggernaut (Red N. Wennerae) doing?

FLKeysGirl · 08/21/2011, 09:31 PM

A little background - My NW came in a piece of LR as a hitchhiker back in May. He went into my 110 DT and after many attempts, I finally caught him. I held him in a container full of rubble and drilled in the DT until I could cycle my 29 tall and figure out what I was going to do with it. I had the Eclipse laying around, so I set it up in my bedroom, used water from my DT and a small piece of LR and some live sand and kept the Juggernaut (my 5 year old thinks he hits things with his head lol). I've since fallen for the little stinker and my kids LOVE seeing him prancing around. He eats ghost shrimp, fish filet chunks (fresh caught snapper I made into filet, froze and slice pieces off of) and krill. The occasional crab too.

Well I bought a piece of 3/4" PVC as suggested and included an elbow curve, so essentially he has a 8" long tunnel which I intended to bury with ends poking out and hide under the rock and leave the rubble to him. I got some more LR out of my DT and was going to do my water change and add these amenities for him and make this a polyp tank. I put the LR in the sump to get ready for the change today but I started thinking about all of the threads I've read over the past few months on here and what he's been doing for the past 4-5 days. It started with this...it's like he was inspecting the rock after being under it for 3 months. Weird I thought but enjoyed watching him do this for about 30 minutes before I fell asleep. http://youtu.be/lNOI3lyD3AY and yes that is an aiptasia, it's survived lemon juice, hot water, aiptasia X and 15 peppermint shrimp so for now, he stays lol

The next day I noticed he'd had a busy night - he'd taken all of the shells, and rubble in the tank and barricaded himself in. See the gap between the sand and rock? He filled it with the rubble. He hasn't come out in 3-4 days. I saw his head poke out two days ago, and I can see him from under the tank so I have known he's kicking but not activity. He's become really dark red compared to when I got him, he's also grown about 1/2 an inch. So all this being said I have several questions that over the past 3 months, although i've read most of the threds in this forum I can't be certain of the answers - so here goes...

1. Do you think he/she is preparing to molt?
If so, could the water change and "redecorating" still be done?
2. What are signs of molting?
3. Should I be dosing anything or providing any chemical in his food?
4. Is this pvc setup sufficient?

Please add anything you'd like - i'm a 20 year reefer but a MANTIS NOOB!

FLKeysGirl · 08/21/2011, 11:31 PM

Update: I just put a light under the tank and can see him thru the holes in the barricade and he is now GREEN? Wth?!

---
- From iPhone via Tapatalk!

StephLionfish · 08/22/2011, 01:18 AM

Molt. Be very careful not to distress him during this time. Don't even try to see what's going on in there, cause it may stress him, and stress during molt = good chance of death.

Have you read the sticky on Molts at the top of the Mantis forums? Good read. Just,leave him be, and he'll be out running around in no time.

FLKeysGirl · 08/22/2011, 06:00 AM

Thanks Steph, I read some but since he's been in and out I wasn't sure. He's still peeking his head out, but no food or prancing as usual. Last night was the first time I used my phone to bring a little light under the tank, maybe a minute I that. Hope I didnt do anything to him! I I'd also see there is a baby gorilla crab under the rock with him?! Looks alive - thought he'd eaten that a while back - odd.

StephLionfish · 08/22/2011, 09:32 AM

You're welcome. Surely he didn't take the crab into his molt cave did he? He could't have! Now I'm confused lol.

As for the " He's green!" post in the molt sticky...well, that's normal too. They do that in brighter lighting and/or if they are in a green tank. If you lowered your lighting down to a couple actinics, he'd turn red again ( after ___ amount of molts ). I'll let someone with more advanced knowledge on that explain it better in the sticky

FLKeysGirl · 08/22/2011, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StephLionfish

You're welcome. Surely he didn't take the crab into his molt cave did he? He could't have! Now I'm confused lol.

It sure looks that way?! The crab is alive he keeps moving from one side of the cave to the other (looking up from under tank lol) I don't get it, they're usually a fun snack for the Juggernaut :/

FLKeysGirl · 08/22/2011, 08:43 PM

IT'S DONE!

He pushed everything away from his cave today and is happily coming out to play! HE ID GREEN! He's even more awesome now, if that's even possible, his legs are yellow as are his apendages. I am uploading a video as I type this, I can't beleive it! I didn't know they could change color?!

FLKeysGirl · 08/23/2011, 08:57 AM

Steph, the crab was in there the whole time, he smashed him this morning as I watched, it was like he was putting a show on for me lol I posted the video as a new topic because this Tapatalk app wouldn't let me add it here for some reason?!

08/21/2011, 09:31 PM	#1
FLKeysGirl Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Columbus, GA Posts: 53	What is the Juggernaut (Red N. Wennerae) doing? A little background - My NW came in a piece of LR as a hitchhiker back in May. He went into my 110 DT and after many attempts, I finally caught him. I held him in a container full of rubble and drilled in the DT until I could cycle my 29 tall and figure out what I was going to do with it. I had the Eclipse laying around, so I set it up in my bedroom, used water from my DT and a small piece of LR and some live sand and kept the Juggernaut (my 5 year old thinks he hits things with his head lol). I've since fallen for the little stinker and my kids LOVE seeing him prancing around. He eats ghost shrimp, fish filet chunks (fresh caught snapper I made into filet, froze and slice pieces off of) and krill. The occasional crab too. Well I bought a piece of 3/4" PVC as suggested and included an elbow curve, so essentially he has a 8" long tunnel which I intended to bury with ends poking out and hide under the rock and leave the rubble to him. I got some more LR out of my DT and was going to do my water change and add these amenities for him and make this a polyp tank. I put the LR in the sump to get ready for the change today but I started thinking about all of the threads I've read over the past few months on here and what he's been doing for the past 4-5 days. It started with this...it's like he was inspecting the rock after being under it for 3 months. Weird I thought but enjoyed watching him do this for about 30 minutes before I fell asleep. http://youtu.be/lNOI3lyD3AY and yes that is an aiptasia, it's survived lemon juice, hot water, aiptasia X and 15 peppermint shrimp so for now, he stays lol The next day I noticed he'd had a busy night - he'd taken all of the shells, and rubble in the tank and barricaded himself in. See the gap between the sand and rock? He filled it with the rubble. He hasn't come out in 3-4 days. I saw his head poke out two days ago, and I can see him from under the tank so I have known he's kicking but not activity. He's become really dark red compared to when I got him, he's also grown about 1/2 an inch. So all this being said I have several questions that over the past 3 months, although i've read most of the threds in this forum I can't be certain of the answers - so here goes... 1. Do you think he/she is preparing to molt? If so, could the water change and "redecorating" still be done? 2. What are signs of molting? 3. Should I be dosing anything or providing any chemical in his food? 4. Is this pvc setup sufficient? Please add anything you'd like - i'm a 20 year reefer but a MANTIS NOOB! __________________ -Chari I like to put disturbing amounts of electricity and saltwater next to each other. Current Tank Info: 110 Reef and 29 Mantis

08/21/2011, 11:31 PM	#2
FLKeysGirl Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Columbus, GA Posts: 53	Update: I just put a light under the tank and can see him thru the holes in the barricade and he is now GREEN? Wth?! --- - From iPhone via Tapatalk! __________________ -Chari I like to put disturbing amounts of electricity and saltwater next to each other. Current Tank Info: 110 Reef and 29 Mantis

08/22/2011, 01:18 AM	#3
StephLionfish Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Tennessee Posts: 1,836	Molt. Be very careful not to distress him during this time. Don't even try to see what's going on in there, cause it may stress him, and stress during molt = good chance of death. Have you read the sticky on Molts at the top of the Mantis forums? Good read. Just,leave him be, and he'll be out running around in no time. __________________ The most intelligent people ask the most questions.

08/22/2011, 06:00 AM	#4
FLKeysGirl Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Columbus, GA Posts: 53	Thanks Steph, I read some but since he's been in and out I wasn't sure. He's still peeking his head out, but no food or prancing as usual. Last night was the first time I used my phone to bring a little light under the tank, maybe a minute I that. Hope I didnt do anything to him! I I'd also see there is a baby gorilla crab under the rock with him?! Looks alive - thought he'd eaten that a while back - odd. __________________ -Chari I like to put disturbing amounts of electricity and saltwater next to each other. Current Tank Info: 110 Reef and 29 Mantis

08/22/2011, 09:32 AM	#5
StephLionfish Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Tennessee Posts: 1,836	You're welcome. Surely he didn't take the crab into his molt cave did he? He could't have! Now I'm confused lol. As for the " He's green!" post in the molt sticky...well, that's normal too. They do that in brighter lighting and/or if they are in a green tank. If you lowered your lighting down to a couple actinics, he'd turn red again ( after ___ amount of molts ). I'll let someone with more advanced knowledge on that explain it better in the sticky __________________ The most intelligent people ask the most questions. Last edited by StephLionfish; 08/22/2011 at 09:38 AM.

08/22/2011, 08:43 PM	#7
FLKeysGirl Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Columbus, GA Posts: 53	Juggernaut morphed into the Hulk! IT'S DONE! He pushed everything away from his cave today and is happily coming out to play! HE ID GREEN! He's even more awesome now, if that's even possible, his legs are yellow as are his apendages. I am uploading a video as I type this, I can't beleive it! I didn't know they could change color?! __________________ -Chari I like to put disturbing amounts of electricity and saltwater next to each other. Current Tank Info: 110 Reef and 29 Mantis

08/23/2011, 08:57 AM	#8
FLKeysGirl Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Columbus, GA Posts: 53	Steph, the crab was in there the whole time, he smashed him this morning as I watched, it was like he was putting a show on for me lol I posted the video as a new topic because this Tapatalk app wouldn't let me add it here for some reason?! __________________ -Chari I like to put disturbing amounts of electricity and saltwater next to each other. Current Tank Info: 110 Reef and 29 Mantis

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