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Ghost Mantid Love Shack

B52s "Love Shack" Video ;)

Ok now for real this is pretty much a step by step of setting this up.


A mud background (kitty litter & peat moss 50/50) because it rules! I'll likely never go with spray foam and silicone again.

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An inch or two of Hydroton balls as drainage

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Soil mix is peat, ground LFS, crushed dry oak leaves small amount of orchid bark

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A Rhaphidophora sp. climber, ruby red Selaginella sp., something I call "star moss" don't know the species, and some wood growing moss is added to the branches


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Philodendron 'Wende Imbe' on the left, Pacific Maid Fern on the right

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Philo Burle Marx Fantasy (on twig in back), "stream" of Utricularia gramminifolia, banks of Fern Leaf Moss, Ping primulifolia in "stream", Marcgravia mounted on branch in front.


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A large green form of Selaginella on left front, "fallen log" wood placed over stream and Tectaria zeylanica fern on right

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Some nice thin climbing twigs added, Begonia "Condord" leaf cutting, Ficus benjamina cutting pushed into mud background, Pleurothallis grobyi mounted on branch, low growing green Selaginella pieces pushed into mud background.


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The female ghost was added after the tank was left setup for a week. Can you spot her?

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Here she is up close - look at those antennae vibrating! She was nervous in her new home so I will leave her alone for a week or two before introducing the males.

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Wow that's super nice! All that for the Mantid? She's a real cutie.
 
Yes, all for her, quite a change from her 1.5 gallon planted candy jar but soon her two male companions will be joining her in there. I will let her get acclimated to the tank and fatten up her abdomen a bit before I introduce the males. Hopefully she will mate and not eat the boys and eventually lay many oothecas on the thin twigs and I can just use the bonsai shears to snip an egg case off the branch and take out just the twig it's on.
 
Wow I gotta say swords, you've got a real touch for making these miny tanks. Looks fantastic! Can I take up residence in one? :lol:
 
Not positive, but aren't you suppose to introduce the female to the male's enclosure?
Nice setup.
 
Beautiful setup; thanks for showing us how you made it. You are the King of DIY! Beautiful mantid as well, thanks for sharing!!!!!
 
aren't you suppose to introduce the female to the male's enclosure?
That may be so for some species (like the very cannibalistic Chinese mantids) but since the ghosts are considered communal I don't think it will make too much difference. When I got these as young uns from Craig they were all in the same mini enclosure but I separated them just to be sure they all made it to maturity.
 
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