# Tank Cleaner?



## libertine101 (Jun 27, 2008)

I number of weeks ago I decided to try my mantis on meal worms, but they just burrowed into the subtrate and hid away. Now I have been noticing that the worms are coming up and feeding on left over bits of cricket and have even pulled the mantids moulted skin under the ,I presume that they ate it!! Anyway would be interested to hear your views on mealworms as tank cleaners.


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## Giosan (Jun 28, 2008)

Hmm, didn't hear about mealworms, sounds good though  They'll be little beetles when they're finished. So new food for the mantis!

I only heard of pill bugs eating left overs. Still have to try that! Pill bugs are cute.


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## OGIGA (Jun 28, 2008)

Hmm, good idea! Time to set up tanks and get mealworms!

Oh and i tried to get a mantis to eat a pillbug one time and it ddin't work. The shell was too hard so the mantis thought it wasn't food.


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## Rick (Jun 28, 2008)

Sounds ok if you use a substrate they will live in. Eventually they turn into beetles which could be another source of food for the mantids.


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## idolomantis (Jun 28, 2008)

Rick said:


> Sounds ok if you use a substrate they will live in. Eventually they turn into beetles which could be another source of food for the mantids.


then you got 2 in one! i think i,m gonna use that!


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## hibiscusmile (Jun 29, 2008)

:blink: Really, well I won't be sticking my hands in there then! I guess that is a good idea, sometimes my mantis will eat the beetle when it is molting from being the worm, not many eat the beetle itself, only a few.


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## Mantis_Whisper (Jul 14, 2008)

I've had mealworms breed in my subtrate before. It was good for awhile, but the them the mealworms would eat the shedding critkets, eat the cricket food, sometimes even an injured mantis.

Yes they would be good tank cleaners, but they are not picky about food, and will try and eat anything that comes their way. Same for the beetles. If you have a mantis that is ill, old, or just likes the bottom of the cage, they will become dinner for a couple of mealworms.


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## OGIGA (Jul 16, 2008)

Are you serious? Mealworms will eat crickets and mantises??


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## Mantis_Whisper (Jul 16, 2008)

OGIGA said:


> Are you serious? Mealworms will eat crickets and mantises??


Yeah. They ate my sick female Texas unicorn. I was so angry I cleaned out the tank and feed them to my sandfish.

All in all, they can be good tank cleaners, but they'll eat anything that falls to the floor, even molting mantises. (One disappeared after molting, so I have a feeling the mealworms had him for lunch too.)


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## idolomantis (Jul 16, 2008)

enough reason to me to just take a minute or 3 and clean the tank myself tho

well, NEVER try to let morioworms loose in the cage, those are 4 times the lenght of a mealworm...


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## Mantis_Whisper (Jul 16, 2008)

idolomantis said:


> enough reason to me to just take a minute or 3 and clean the tank myself thowell, NEVER try to let morioworms loose in the cage, those are 4 times the lenght of a mealworm...


Megaworms? If those are the ones you're talking about then I second that. Those buggers keep biting me. :mellow:


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