Zebra Morrays eat Mantis Shrimp - Answer to our prayers?

[JonF1]

The most knowlegeable LFS owner I've run into in some time told me that one of the Zebra Morrays natural food sources is mantis shrimp. I asked whether they weren't too slow to catch a mantis, he said they'll corner the mantis in its hole and wait it out. Said I should get a little baby one like 12".

I looked on Bob Fenners' WetWebMedia.com http://www.wetwebmedia.com/zebramor.htm and though it does not mention they eat mantis shrimp, it does say that the Zebra Moray is amongst the best choices for a morray - and that they do quite well in captivity. Also, they don't bother small fish such as my green chromis - somethng the LFS store owner also said.

Would love to hear whethter anyones got any thoughts or experiecnes they could share regarding whether the Zebra Morray is appropriate for eating mantis shrimp.

The mantis in my tank is driving me NUTS!

Thanks as always.

 

[O P Ing]

hi.
What you going to do if your prayer is answered? Will you keep the morray and feed it shrimp instead?

 

[Anonymous]

Just keep in mind that it may snack on more than just the offending shrimp.
If you can happen to catch the little bugger you can mail him my way.
I think they're neat little critters, but my local lfs can't (or maybe won't) get them.

 

[M.E.Milz]

I have had a Zebra moray in my FOWLR tank for maybe 3-3.5 years, and which measures around 36". I have no idea if he will eat the mantis, but it sounds reasonable since they primarily prey on crabs in the wild. However, he has not bothered the couple of medium-sized hermits (std brown type) that are in the tank, so he might not eat the mantis. He has also not bothered the few corals that I have had in the tank (mostly leathers and star polyps). Nor has he bothered the 2 damsels that are also in the tank.

Please keep in mind that morays should be fed large meals 1-2 time per week. This can obviously impact your filtration and water quality.

COVER YOUR TANK.

 

[Anonymous]

i had no idea they've got the wherewithall to munch on a mantis, but i LOVE the zebras anyway. they are BY FAR the friendliest morays i've ever had the opportunity to handle. they keep their wits about them, they handle netting and feeding with the same graceful aplomb, and i think they're also gorgeous.

we had a gimungous one in our 1500gal display tank at the first lfs i worked at, he came from another employee's tank (got too big at 4'+ and as big around as my thigh). the tank was of a size that we had to get inside to clean it, and i was the one most often "voted in". this was also the display with a mean dogface puffer, a porky puff, three triggers, a wickedmean emperor snapper, a ***** naso (we tried to put other tangs in there and she'd kill 'em immediately), and, the pussy of the seas, a smoothhound shark. there was also a snowflake moray, who i wanted nothing to do with as i'd already been doinked by one during bagging.

but that zebra, i'd take a big breath and hit his area, he'd rub himself all around me, then park himself right in front of my face for his scratches. this was a very spoiled fish! he was so trusting that i could easily just take him up like a snake and i could take him right to the surface (where his former owner would be waiting to pet and scratch him, and give him his treats). he was incredibly friendly and easygoing (i don't think i can emphasize that enough), and never gave any indication that he'd ever nip (unlike that damned dogface!), he was the easiest thing to hand feed, too. i loved that eel, we all did. his name was zigzag.

 

[JonF1]

Thanks for all the feedback. Sounds like they're pretty good citizens, which is impt. I would return the moray to the LFS after the mantis was caught.

Interesting though, has no one heard of or experienced using a zebra as a mantis?

 

[Will C1]

octopusses are also mantis killers but like the eel they will eat any shrimp or crab that wanders by.

 

[gman2]

I have had my zebra for over 12 years now and its the best fish I have ever had. He is not the smartest fish though, probably because he is spoiled. I only feed him a large live crawfish once every week or two. I know when he is hungry as he comes out of the rocks and swims around looking for food. The only thing that I have seen him eat was an albalone which was about 2". He just crushed the thing shell and all. Other than that he is perfect but be very carefull as they can get out of the tank through the smallest of holes. Mine is in a sea clear 65 gallon system two and he occasionally gets behind in the biological area. Its a pain to catch him when he dos this.

Good Luck
Tony

 

[JonF1]

i also hear octopi will eat everything else in the tank.

 

[Anonymous]

did anyone catch the special on PBS last night on the octopic of the world?

oh MAN! they showed several as yet undescribed species, including one indonesian that is found in the mud shallows and is just GORGEOUS.

they also told of one lab octopus that was raiding the crab tank across the room at night.

i'll tell ya something, i have had a moral dilemma re: keeping octopi. they are incredibly intelligent, and keeping them caged isn't my biggest worry, keeping their minds occupied is.

 

[wombat1]

Keeping a crab inside a cage, or a floating thermometer, or another tank nearby are good. There was one that crawled along the wall at the Bodega Bay Marine Laboratory, an extension of the UC system. I'm sure it happens a lot, especially with O. bimacs b/c they're intertidal and crawl in and out of tidepools all the time. I read a paper that described giant octos that would keep floating bottles moving in circles in their tanks by squirting them with their siphon. Interesting enough, but they would also vary the time it took for the bottle to make a complete circle from 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Scary how intelligent they are.

 

[JonF1]

any opinions on the zebra moray catching mantis shrimp?

 

[King Jason]

any opinions on the zebra moray catching mantis shrimp?

LOL...You didn't expect to get an answer did you? How fast do these eels grow? I was thinking of putting a snowflake eel in my 190. But these eels sound really intriguing. But I don’t think an eel with a width of my leg would fit in my tank…What about other fish? If the eel is that big doesn’t it take out just about any fish that can fit in your tank?