The Mantis Shrimp Guide Thread

[gregowen420]

just arrange them how you'd like it he'll find the space it wants to be in, never the spot you want them in.

my other mantis doesn't rearrange anything except tiny pebbles.

 

the new one played soccer with a small hermit this morning and i watched it shoot 3"-4" across the tank when he smacked it.

 

he's extremely active and not shy at all,

 

Edited October 15, 2008 by gregowen420

[Zombo]

i bought another tank today and a G. Platysoma thats around 2 1/2" inches

Good looking mantis! I just started cycling the CAD 22 as a home for my new G. chiragra:

 

[travisurfer]

the new one played soccer with a small hermit this morning and i watched it shoot 3"-4" across the tank when he smacked it.

very nice

Edited October 15, 2008 by travisurfer

[demaria36]

just arrange them how you'd like it he'll find the space it wants to be in, never the spot you want them in.

my other mantis doesn't rearrange anything except tiny pebbles.

 

the new one played soccer with a small hermit this morning and i watched it shoot 3"-4" across the tank when he smacked it.

 

he's extremely active and not shy at all,

 

Wow, gorgeous mantis, how big will it get and what do you plan on keeping it in? Will you have any other inhabitants? Thanks.

[gregowen420]

he'll be about 4" fully grown, his home is a 15g hex that the previous owner sold me with the mantis. so far he's the only inhabitant, i added a small blue hermit and he killed/ate him within a day, the previous owner said he possibly killed a small tang he had QT'd with it. next friday i'm purchasing some CUC from reefcleaners for both of my tanks, definately way more aggressive than my other mantis which on 5 months has only killed a couple stomatella snails

[travisurfer]

Bump! I've been getting quite a few pm's lately so this thread may help some people out.

[travisurfer]

[Psychosis]

Well, since I'm interested, I'm glad I ran across this thread. You're inspireing me to run 3 projects at once travi. First my 1 gallon, now a mantis tank...I think you might be a bad influence on my young, impressionable mind.

 

Any whoodles.

 

I have an old 35 acrylic hex laying around, doing nothing. I also have a H.O.T magnum canister filter on my desk. A few more pieces of equipment and I think I've got a decent mantis tank in the works.

 

Would a few power heads and some decent lighting make this an ideal mantis set up? I've heard canister filters can turn in to nitrate factories.

[BustytheSnowMaam]

he'll be about 4" fully grown, his home is a 15g hex that the previous owner sold me with the mantis. so far he's the only inhabitant, i added a small blue hermit and he killed/ate him within a day, the previous owner said he possibly killed a small tang he had QT'd with it. next friday i'm purchasing some CUC from reefcleaners for both of my tanks, definately way more aggressive than my other mantis which on 5 months has only killed a couple stomatella snails

I've had good luck with astreas, the shell seems too hard for them to smash, fwiw. I culture some smaller strombus snails for the mantis to eat.

[Zombo]

Well, I just left my old job, and migrated the two reef tanks (9g and 20H) into one 22g CAD at home. I felt sorry for the G. chiragra being in a tupperware container floating in the 22 so I let her loose in the 22 with Bella (my G. glabrous). So far, they've staked out territories on the opposite end of the tank, but because I'm paranoid, I started cycling the 9 gallon and will move one or the other into the 9. The chiragra is still for sale, if anyone is interested.

[Sergeant-G]

I love mantids they are active and entertaining, I feel people are scared of them because of a few rare incidents. I have wanted one for years but I just dont have room for another tank. I think it is cool to walk around the room and you can see them watching you, its just amazing to see the intelligence of these creatures. I will have one eventually but for now you guys that have them keep posting pics

[Koshmar]

Ya the watching you all the time thing kind of gets creepy after a while. I've got both of mine right next to my desk in my bedroom. Sometimes I'll be changing clothes and there will be two little eyes watching me... It's like "can I get some privacy, I don't watch you while your molting, how about returning the favor."

As far as snails go, nassarius' aren't safe with any size smasher IMO. My 1 inch juvenile N. wennerae bashed one in the other day. Astrea's can be alright for smaller smashers but when they hit about 4 inches think about getting some large turbos. My G. chiragra has no trouble now with astreas, she is only about 4 inches also.

[travisurfer]

Well, since I'm interested, I'm glad I ran across this thread. You're inspireing me to run 3 projects at once travi. First my 1 gallon, now a mantis tank...I think you might be a bad influence on my young, impressionable mind.

 

Any whoodles.

 

I have an old 35 acrylic hex laying around, doing nothing. I also have a H.O.T magnum canister filter on my desk. A few more pieces of equipment and I think I've got a decent mantis tank in the works.

 

Would a few power heads and some decent lighting make this an ideal mantis set up? I've heard canister filters can turn in to nitrate factories.

Hey, its not my problem. For a basic mantis setup, just think FOWLR style and watch the nitrates.

 

Well, I just left my old job, and migrated the two reef tanks (9g and 20H) into one 22g CAD at home. I felt sorry for the G. chiragra being in a tupperware container floating in the 22 so I let her loose in the 22 with Bella (my G. glabrous). So far, they've staked out territories on the opposite end of the tank, but because I'm paranoid, I started cycling the 9 gallon and will move one or the other into the 9. The chiragra is still for sale, if anyone is interested.

Wow, that is not good. One of them will eventually kill the other. I hope you know that you are taking a big risk of even losing both mantids.

 

I love mantids they are active and entertaining, I feel people are scared of them because of a few rare incidents. I have wanted one for years but I just dont have room for another tank. I think it is cool to walk around the room and you can see them watching you, its just amazing to see the intelligence of these creatures. I will have one eventually but for now you guys that have them keep posting pics

Yes, they are extremely intelligent and they will play games with you when you try to clean the tank. Getting hit by a mantis is not fun either.

 

Ya the watching you all the time thing kind of gets creepy after a while. I've got both of mine right next to my desk in my bedroom. Sometimes I'll be changing clothes and there will be two little eyes watching me... It's like "can I get some privacy, I don't watch you while your molting, how about returning the favor."

As far as snails go, nassarius' aren't safe with any size smasher IMO. My 1 inch juvenile N. wennerae bashed one in the other day. Astrea's can be alright for smaller smashers but when they hit about 4 inches think about getting some large turbos. My G. chiragra has no trouble now with astreas, she is only about 4 inches also.

As far as snails go, I generally got large turbos, even larger astreas were claimed by Cozmo. I also found ceriths to last surprisingly long because Cozmo could never really find them under the sandbed. If they were out in the open though, they were gone in no time.

[clifford513]

interesting read Now, about proper temperature ranges

Edited December 24, 2008 by clifford513

[travisurfer]

interesting read Now, about proper temperature ranges

Thanks cliff Temperature ranges are basically that of a reef tank.

 

 

 

 

Any comments or questions on the guide itself? Anyone want me to add something, change something, whatever? I want to make this into something that will continuously be able to help people so input is always great.

[clifford513]

Great write-up Trav. I was just joshing with you

[travisurfer]

Great write-up Trav. I was just joshing with you

thanks

[demaria36]

I have a general question, I've been reading Clifford's 2g mantis thread and recently bought a JBJ 3g picotope and was wondering which (if any) mantis would suit such a tank? I haven't decided what I will do with the 3g, so this is just an idea. Any help would be great! Thanks guys.

[clifford513]

I have a general question, I've been reading Clifford's 2g mantis thread and recently bought a JBJ 3g picotope and was wondering which (if any) mantis would suit such a tank? I haven't decided what I will do with the 3g, so this is just an idea. Any help would be great! Thanks guys.

Travis is the guy to ask! You will really enjoy a mantis, imo, if you decide to get one

[Koshmar]

I keep my N. wennerae in about a 5 gallon area but he's just a juvenile, about 1 inch long. I'm thinking of getting a larger tank for him soon though. A 3 gallon pico would be too small for any available mantis IMO. I've seen a few threads with this topic and usually the smallest recommended space for a mantis is 5 gallons for a really small one. I believe that spearers can be kept in smaller tanks, except for P. ciliata, because they remain most of the time inside their burrow. Though with most spearers you have to have a dsb. If I were you I would look into using the pico for an invert tank, specifically sexy shrimp, pom pom crap, porcealin crab, ect... There are some pretty cool little inverts out there, however a mantis is usually not one of them.

[jeremai]

MORE PICHERS, PLS

[Lalani]

Stickied!

Good work, Jer.

[jeremai]

WELL IF SOMEONE WOULD HAVE BROUGHT THIS TO MY ATTENTION IT WOULD HAVE BEEN STICKIED A LONG TIME AGO.

 

[travisurfer]

WELL IF SOMEONE WOULD HAVE BROUGHT THIS TO MY ATTENTION IT WOULD HAVE BEEN STICKIED A LONG TIME AGO.

 

Thanks jere.

 

Anyone want to donate pictures to the thread or should i search some out?

[demaria36]

I keep my N. wennerae in about a 5 gallon area but he's just a juvenile, about 1 inch long. I'm thinking of getting a larger tank for him soon though. A 3 gallon pico would be too small for any available mantis IMO. I've seen a few threads with this topic and usually the smallest recommended space for a mantis is 5 gallons for a really small one. I believe that spearers can be kept in smaller tanks, except for P. ciliata, because they remain most of the time inside their burrow. Though with most spearers you have to have a dsb. If I were you I would look into using the pico for an invert tank, specifically sexy shrimp, pom pom crap, porcealin crab, ect... There are some pretty cool little inverts out there, however a mantis is usually not one of them.

So then Clifford's tank is a 5g? I guess I'll re-think the mantis then.......