Bought the wrong Mantis Shrimp
- Thread starter TysFish
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I hear one pairs well with a good Chianti…
likemike99
Active Member
it seems they are very similar in mannerisms and husbandry. are you looking for a bigger one or more colorful one? I would definitely get some store credit for the incorrect ID but this may be a good piece for you to figure out if this is what you really want. smaller animal smaller tank
OP
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TysFish
Community Member
Yeah I agree, I’ve heard that they are easier to maintain and the fact that it’s my first ever aquatic pet ever I think it’s a good starting point before I go for the more difficult to maintain Peacock.
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OP
TysFish
Community Member
I just wanted to address the whole species mix-up. I went back to the LFS where I got him and showed them proof that he’s not a peacock, but a Gonodactylus smithii. Even after seeing the photos, they tripled down on calling it a peacock.
I was able to get some store credit out of it, so it is what it is. Honestly, I’m not upset — G. smithii are hardier and easier to care for. The last thing I’d want is to send this one back, get a peacock, and then not be able to provide it with the best life possible as a beginner or the worst, have it pass due to me not knowing the ins and outs of mantis shrimp.
So I’m keeping this little guy, and I don’t regret it one bit. I’ll master the mantis shrimp life with him, and one day, when I’m ready, I’ll get a peacock and make sure it has the best home it could possibly have.
I was able to get some store credit out of it, so it is what it is. Honestly, I’m not upset — G. smithii are hardier and easier to care for. The last thing I’d want is to send this one back, get a peacock, and then not be able to provide it with the best life possible as a beginner or the worst, have it pass due to me not knowing the ins and outs of mantis shrimp.
So I’m keeping this little guy, and I don’t regret it one bit. I’ll master the mantis shrimp life with him, and one day, when I’m ready, I’ll get a peacock and make sure it has the best home it could possibly have.
Stomatopods17
Well-Known Member
O. scyllarus colors are in by the time they settle out of their larval stages. You never have to worry about seeing 'larval' state O. scyllarus cause it still remains one of the biggest hurdles to even get alive ones.
Blue eyes, red setae, legs, mixed colored antenna, antennal scales being green/yellow front/back respectively, leopard black dots on carapace, fluorescent blue rings with black center on pleopods and tail (where 'peacock' even comes from), are all visible on any true o.scyllarus no matter size or age and there is no variation in lacking one of the traits.
The black spots on the carapace are the typical tell scientist use for immediate identification (sometimes they're faded dark green), but o. scyllarus is one of the easiest species to see a photo of and immediately know. The only confusion is the main body's coloration can vary from yellow (when very young), olive, emerald green, dark green, or orange, dependent on their location collected at (green being more dominant near surface/reefs, olive being more dominant in sand flats/below the reef, orange being everywhere else typically lower.. yellow is specifically just how young ones start out until about ~2")
It's still somehow by evidence of unawareness among even 'experts' the most miss-ID'd species not just in stomatopods but borderline the saltwater hobby itself cause you at least won't see someone attempt to ID a coral they don't know and treat it as another coral listing, admit its a guess, or say they came up with the name.
G. Chiragra, G. Ternatensis, P. ciliata, R. komaii, G. Smithii, N. wennerae, G. Graphurus, just to name a few, are just some species I've personally witnessed this peacock debate on, and its why I do not purchase from anyone that uses a stock image without a photo ID. I've had LFS employees stubborn too, but my LFS's management has spoken with me on so many occasions they know to take my word on something.
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