Welcome to this amazing forum! Are you wanting to get some exotic species, or just stick to Chinese? If you’re on the fence about it, I would definitely go ahead and order some exotic ones. As cool as the Chinese are (and they’re still one of my favorites), raising exotic ones is just so cool and satisfying. With Mantids, more than any other kind of exotic pet I can think of, there is just sooo much variety. You have the delicate-looking orchids (which are surprisingly aggressive), and the downright scary (if I’m honest) Devil’s Flower mantis.
Anyway, good luck with your mantids!