The Official Mantis Shrimp Owners Thread

[ccapasso]

With all of the Mantis Shrimp tanks that seem to be coming out now, I wanted to start a thread to help keep track of them. We have the Mantis Shrimp Guide already, but we can use this thread to keep track of all of the threads as well as help share our experience and knowledge.

 

Please pm me or reply here with your thread and I'll add it to the list.

 

 

Without further adieu:

 

• Peacock Paradise - ccapasso
  
• Mantis/Pest Tank - Islandoftiki
  
• 4 Gallon Kraken Tank - JamieSheffield
  
• Odontodactylus scyllarus - reeftankguy
  
• Pico v. Mantis - M@!
  
• Mantis Shrimp Research Tank - Spencer7
  
• Mantis Island - Alexraptor
  
• Dendroguys maniacal mantid madness tank - Dendroguy
  
• My 20l Mantis Tank Build - AirportFF
  
• No build thread yet - Psychosis
  
• 40 Breeder Peacock Mantis Build - LongPig
  
• My Mantis Tank! - gearhead364
  

 

If you are considering getting a Mantis Shrimp, there are numerous things to consider. This post will be update with a list of them.

 

Also, here is a good site to visit to research the different species of Mantis Shrimp:

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthropoda/cr....html#directory

Edited June 27, 2012 by ccapasso

[AirportFF]

I didn't do a build thread for my 20l mantis tank. (have yet to get the mantis though ) But I'm working on it

[ccapasso]

Added you to the list . Let us know if and when you make a build thread and I'll modify the post.

[jec11718]

I went diving today...and saw a mantis shrimp. He was in the shallows amongst the rocks!

[ccapasso]

I went diving today...and saw a mantis shrimp. He was in the shallows amongst the rocks!

 

 

Nice! Did you get any pics?

 

How big was he?

[Islandoftiki]

I went diving today...and saw a mantis shrimp. He was in the shallows amongst the rocks!

 

Did you pet it?

[Islandoftiki]

Hey, does anybody know if there are any cold water species of mantis that stay small? Say, under 3 inches? I'm not really familiar with cold water mantis. I'm considering a cold water pico for work.

[ccapasso]

Hey, does anybody know if there are any cold water species of mantis that stay small? Say, under 3 inches? I'm not really familiar with cold water mantis. I'm considering a cold water pico for work.

 

 

Taken from another site by Dr. Roy Caldwell:

 

There are several temperate water stomatopods as well as many that are found quite deep and therefore live in cooler waters. For example, there are four species of stomatopod found in Southern California living in water termperatures from 15-18 C. They are Hemisquilla californiensis, Pseudosquillopsis marmorata, Nannosquilla anomola, and Schmittius politus. N. anomola has only been taken from the Channel Islands (San Clemente Island) (5 - 23 M), S. politus occurs from Monterey Bay to Punta Abreojos, Mexico (12-185 m), H. californiensis from Point Conception to Golfo de Chirique, Panama (4 - 100 m, but generally found at 7 - 30 m), and P. marmorata occurs from Pt. Conception to the Galapagos Islands (0 - 100 m, usuall 3 - 30 m). As sea surface temperatures warm, some stomatopods maybe extending their ranges furture into temperate waters. I have found P. marmorata as far north as Tamales Bay and Hemisquilla larvae in Monterey Bay.

 

On the East Coast, there are several stomatopods reported from as far north as the Hudson River and Squilla empusa occurs as far north as Maine.

 

In Europe, Rissoides desmaresti, a squillid is found off England. There are several squillids off the temperate coast of Chile, a healthy stomatopod fauna off Southern Australia and Tasmania, etc. I would estimate that between 5 and 10% of stomatopod species are temperate. However, they do not get into the Artic or Anartic.

 

Roy

[Islandoftiki]

It looks like the cold water ones all get pretty big.

[xDetroitMetalx]

I've had a Wennarae which was red, he was cool.

 

My previous tank has what I bought as Peacock but I doubt he is. My dad is taking care of that now.

 

Luigi the "peacock" mantis (still alive):

 

 

Mario the Wennarae (crushed himself):

 

[mndfreeze]

detroitmetal, looks like a smithii to me. Purple meral spot? Def not a peacock.

 

I don't have a build thread here, but I have a 40 B with a G. Ternatensis named Googly. He's a pile of awesomesauces.

[xDetroitMetalx]

My larger "peacock" looks more like your G. Ternatensis (after doing a google image search). Definately not a Smithiii though, has no spot. I bought it for $50, I know that. I knew it was not a peacock so I don't feel ripped off either way.

[patback]

Out of curiosity, how big does a mantis tank need to be?

[tam]

Out of curiosity, how big does a mantis tank need to be?

 

It depends on the species. This link should be included somewhere in the OP.

 

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthropoda/cr...traca/royslist/

[AirportFF]

Eventually I'll even have a Mantis to put in it

 

Mantis Tank build thread

[ccapasso]

Out of curiosity, how big does a mantis tank need to be?

 

 

It depends on the species. This link should be included somewhere in the OP.

 

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthropoda/cr...traca/royslist/

 

I'll add some size/tank requirements to help others.

 

Eventually I'll even have a Mantis to put in it

 

Mantis Tank build thread

 

Nice. Just saw that this morning. I'll add you to the list. Btw - might want to ask a MOD to move the thread to members aquariums section. Very nice looking build though

[xDetroitMetalx]

I have had my mantis in a 5 gallon HOB refuge. He's about 4" long give or take. I know ppl say for Peacocks they need a 30 gallon but in my opinion the mantis is extremely territorial and only hangs out in their borrow most of the time. They will come out looking for food but if you feed them constantly they will rarely come out of their homes. They can also turn on a dime so I just feel a tank with a large living space isn't really needed.

 

EDIT:

 

I should mention that you need to keep in mind of your tanks bio-load when thinking about keeping a mantis. They are messy eaters and also molt. Although not much is spared in terms of consumption there is still a lot left behind that will rot. The only reason why I get away with mine in such a small living space is because he doesn't live in the main display, there is a lot more water and rock to help the load.

Edited May 6, 2012 by xDetroitMetalx

[absolon]

I should mention that you need to keep in mind of your tanks bio-load when thinking about keeping a mantis. They are messy eaters and also molt. Although not much is spared in terms of consumption there is still a lot left behind that will rot. The only reason why I get away with mine in such a small living space is because he doesn't live in the main display, there is a lot more water and rock to help the load.

 

Agree for having just the mantis in the 10 gallon i had to do more water changes than my 12 BC with that is stocked with fish and coral. He will loves to take food and then hide it

[Alexraptor]

Really depends on the species and what you feed.

My Gonodactylus Smithii eats pieces of shrimp tail, small snails and pellet foods and he certainly does not pollute a lot.

Also run my setup skimmerless.

Edited May 6, 2012 by Alexraptor

[castiel]

I am considering a mantis in my 15G display fuge/sump. So keep the tips coming (it will be a while yet before I am set up).

[xDetroitMetalx]

I don't know, I guess the whole, "You need a 30 gallon for a Peacock Mantis Shrimp" bothers me. I would say 10 gallons would suffice if you can control the bio load. I've never read anything that proves they need that much space minus bio-load capacity. If I'm wrong let me know!

 

On a different note. My local LFS was selling a Zebra spearer which was amazing to see! I would never want to own one. That thing was living in a tiny tank probably 5.5 or so gallons? Just tiny.

[Alexraptor]

Then I guess you have not read or seen much of them.

Peacocks grow to be about 18cm in lenght! A 10 gallon is barely enough to move around in, not to mention for such a large animal it would easily be able to punch its way out.

 

Peacocks are very active creatures and need plenty of space to move around freely.

 

The Zebra spearer you saw was also most likely just a juvenile, as they grow to be the largest mantis shrimps in the world at a whopping 40cm.

[xDetroitMetalx]

Then I guess you have not read or seen much of them.

Peacocks grow to be about 18cm in lenght! A 10 gallon is barely enough to move around in, not to mention for such a large animal it would easily be able to punch its way out.

 

Peacocks are very active creatures and need plenty of space to move around freely.

 

The Zebra spearer you saw was also most likely just a juvenile, as they grow to be the largest mantis shrimps in the world at a whopping 40cm.

 

Nah, I've read and watched quite a bit about mantis shrimp for a few years now in addition to keeping them. As I said, they can turn around in an extremely small space, so turn around space isn't a huge issue. Thirty gallons is not a lot of swimming space for something that gets 6-8 inches, so that can't be a good reason. Even though they do swim well, they mainly swim to find a new territory, escape predators, find food, or find a mate. So providing them with a home / food / no predators or mates in an aquarium environment doesn't give them much reason to swim around does it?

 

As for a mantis punching out an aquarium glass wall? I doubt it. There is no true evidence that it has ever happened.

 

The Zebra I saw was 8-10" long. It was most definitely not an appropriate size home and obviously was there to be sold and not kept.

 

My point is, if you want these animals to be kept with a lot of space 30 gallons isn't nearly enough! However, I have been successful keeping them in small habitats as I don't see why they need massive amounts of space to move. Don't get me wrong, you want them able to move around and be able to get out of their home and explore a little bit so stuffing a Zebra in a 5.5 as a home would be a horrible idea and it would most likely jump out.

Edited May 7, 2012 by xDetroitMetalx

[mndfreeze]

Peacocks roam a lot. Where do you get the idea they only sit in their burrows all the time? My GT doesn't roam NEARLY as much as a peacock and he is out ALL THE TIME wandering, hunting, being nosey, watching TV and xbox get played..

[Islandoftiki]

Peacocks roam a lot. Where do you get the idea they only sit in their burrows all the time? My GT doesn't roam NEARLY as much as a peacock and he is out ALL THE TIME wandering, hunting, being nosey, watching TV and xbox get played..

 

My GV watches TV, too. His tank is facing the TV and he sits in his little cave with his eyes poking out and watches the TV when it's on. I should get a video of snails, crabs and clams to play when I'm not home.