My peacock mantis shrimp seems to have damaged her smashers. I'm trying to get a photo to illustrate what I mean but she's not playing ball at the moment so I'll try to describe what I'm seeing. The smashers are red with a white bulb at the end that is ordinarily smooth on the front where it impacts anything the mantis is hitting. I've noticed however in the last few days that the front of that white bulb is slightly cratered - like the front layer of enamel has been smashed off.
She molted about three weeks ago and I have a photo of her from two weeks ago where the smashers still looked in tip top shape, so I don't think it's a case of smashing something too soon after a molt. She's been moved into a smaller tank for a couple of week now and seems fine, is eating well, smashing things when I give her shell food, so not sure if it's anything I need to worry about? I assume any damage to the smashers will get repaired in the next molt anyway but curious how this happened as I thought the tips of those smashers are supposed to be being studied by material scientists the military for their hardness and impact absorption properties. I'd be surprised if he injured herself bashing rocks or shells. Will post a photo if and when I can get one.
She molted about three weeks ago and I have a photo of her from two weeks ago where the smashers still looked in tip top shape, so I don't think it's a case of smashing something too soon after a molt. She's been moved into a smaller tank for a couple of week now and seems fine, is eating well, smashing things when I give her shell food, so not sure if it's anything I need to worry about? I assume any damage to the smashers will get repaired in the next molt anyway but curious how this happened as I thought the tips of those smashers are supposed to be being studied by material scientists the military for their hardness and impact absorption properties. I'd be surprised if he injured herself bashing rocks or shells. Will post a photo if and when I can get one.