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Help me care for my Peacock Mantis!


Chriss Fishes

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Chriss Fishes

Hey guys!

 

I put in an order for a Peacock Mantis at my LFS. The order came in today, and it turns out they sent a Bay Ghost Shrimp instead of a mantis 🙄 , but, my LFS is re-ordering the mantis, and it should be here next week. I just want to triple check and make sure that the tank I've set up for the mantis is going to be right for it.

 

I've got a 40 breeder with around 25 lbs of rock - I'll be adding more, but everyone is sold out locally, unless I wanted to buy some of the painted rock (which I don't). Flow is relatively low, with just an Aquaclear 110 running the tank. I've got two heaters in the HOB for redundancy, and to prevent any mal-aimed punches from shattering them. I've got a 1" sand bed. Everything good so far?

 

My main questions are about lighting and tank reinforcement. I know Peacocks are prone to shell rot, and from what I've read, the best way to combat shell rot is to use relatively low-powered actinic lighting. Am I correct? If so, I think I'll just go and buy a cheap shop light and throw in some old T8 bulbs, or maybe I'll just order a cheap actinic LED strip online.

 

As for tank reinforcement, I've heard that the only time mantises usually break aquariums is when they're trying to build their burrow and they hit the bottom glass. Do I need to worry about lining the bottom of the tank with acrylic or anything?

 

Thanks!

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You would basically line the bottom with a piece of acrylic for punches. The glass on those cheap Petco tanks is thin so it is technically possible for them to crack it.

 

High light can aid in the cause of shell rot but another cause is water quality. You will want to keep the tank clean. They can get shell rot without strong lighting too.

 

They will bury any uneaten food which rots so keep an eye on that.

 

They are smart and can learn to be purposely picky about food to try and entice you to give them something better.

 

I would soak everything in selcon as well.

 

On 2/25/2020 at 6:16 PM, HarrisonAquatics said:

Hey guys!

 

I put in an order for a Peacock Mantis at my LFS. The order came in today, and it turns out they sent a Bay Ghost Shrimp instead of a mantis 🙄 , but, my LFS is re-ordering the mantis, and it should be here next week. I just want to triple check and make sure that the tank I've set up for the mantis is going to be right for it.

 

I've got a 40 breeder with around 25 lbs of rock - I'll be adding more, but everyone is sold out locally, unless I wanted to buy some of the painted rock (which I don't). Flow is relatively low, with just an Aquaclear 110 running the tank. I've got two heaters in the HOB for redundancy, and to prevent any mal-aimed punches from shattering them. I've got a 1" sand bed. Everything good so far?

 

My main questions are about lighting and tank reinforcement. I know Peacocks are prone to shell rot, and from what I've read, the best way to combat shell rot is to use relatively low-powered actinic lighting. Am I correct? If so, I think I'll just go and buy a cheap shop light and throw in some old T8 bulbs, or maybe I'll just order a cheap actinic LED strip online.

 

As for tank reinforcement, I've heard that the only time mantises usually break aquariums is when they're trying to build their burrow and they hit the bottom glass. Do I need to worry about lining the bottom of the tank with acrylic or anything?

 

Thanks!

 

 

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Chriss Fishes

Thanks for your responses! Good info here.

 

Sadly, I don't know if I'm going to be getting a peacock mantis right now or not. The LFS brought another one in for me, and it was DOA. I ordered one myself, and it arrived alive, but died after about 45 minutes of me opening the box (and it was dying when I opened it). Kinda discouraged at this point.

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11 hours ago, HarrisonAquatics said:

Thanks for your responses! Good info here.

 

Sadly, I don't know if I'm going to be getting a peacock mantis right now or not. The LFS brought another one in for me, and it was DOA. I ordered one myself, and it arrived alive, but died after about 45 minutes of me opening the box (and it was dying when I opened it). Kinda discouraged at this point.

I can understand your disappointment.  I set up a pest tank with the sole inhabitant being a small mantis shrimp.  The shipper said the appendage was missing and that was the last one they had for that species.  They ended up calling me back and said they hand another mantis but it wasn't the species I requested.  They opted to ship both, so I took them up on their offer.  Both mantis perished within 24 hours of me receiving them and I haven't ordered a mantis since.  

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Chriss Fishes

I guess maybe where they're almost always collected as pests, maybe they've been shipped in just some damp rock before being shipped to the customer? Like, they're shipped as a hitchhiker?

 

Who knows.

 

I might re-do this 40 as a reef/fowlr/fancy goldfish tank and just order a G. Smithii or a Wennerae for a 10 gallon in a couple weeks.

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7 minutes ago, HarrisonAquatics said:

I guess maybe where they're almost always collected as pests, maybe they've been shipped in just some damp rock before being shipped to the customer? Like, they're shipped as a hitchhiker?

 

Who knows.

 

I might re-do this 40 as a reef/fowlr/fancy goldfish tank and just order a G. Smithii or a Wennerae for a 10 gallon in a couple weeks.

Those were the 2 I was referencing:  G. Smithii or a Wennerae.  I ordered through KP Aquatics out of Florida.  Terrific communication.  They were packaged in double bags of water.  I just didn't have luck on my side with the shipment.  If/When I reorder a mantis, they'll be the only company I consider regardless of my last experience (which wasn't their fault). They usually have a lot of different mantis for sale. 

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Chriss Fishes

I've heard good things about KP Aquatics, and have had my cart loaded up on there multiple times - I just never pulled the trigger. I'll have to check them out!

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