PLanning a new mantis tank at work have questions

[ENraged]

I was planning on picking up one of those finnex 9 gallon all in one tanks for work and putting some of my prized corals in it with a Pseudosquilla ciliata.
I was wondering how the Mantis experts feel this would work out for him.

of course I will give him some nice pieces of live rock to work with and all that but i am wondering if this will be large enough for him..

[DanInSD]

No, need at least a 20 for P. ciliata. Try a G. smithii, G. graphurus, or N. wennerae.

Dan

[ENraged]

OK I looked up the ones suggested and they are all about the same size so I am wondering what sets these apart from the P. Ciliata?
Of course i am only going buy max size and clueless on the ways of the Mantis.
Is it anything like the Tang in the 30 gallon tank argument?


What if i go with a 15 gallon custom acrylic like a 15 long?
Could you list the options for those Dan or anyone?

Sorry i have done as much research as i can without the use of the search feature going with the google search really isn't helping.

[ENraged]

Also can anyone identify the ones currently listed on sharky's reef?

[Pea-brain]

P. ciliata get a little less than 4", but they have a very large territory for a mantis their size. I believe Dr. Roy once said that they have the largest territory for a mantis their size. Acrylic isn't necessary for anything other than the biggest and baddest smashers (peacock, G. chiragra).

Dan

[Pea-brain]

Ahh ok I went through my PM list and this is what Dr. Roy wrote:
"P. ciliata are generalists. They take shrimp and small fish (never more than half their length), but also dead or injured animals that they discover during their wanderings. I have even seen them bringing back Gonodactylellids that they caught. I can think of no stomatopod that occurs in a greater diversity of habitats or with more varied predatory behavior.

They are diurnal becoming active in the field at first light and closing up a little before sunset. If you have windows where the animal is kept, first light will get them active even though you don't turn on a light. It only takes dim illumination to start them up. As to why they retire early, I suspect they time their daily cycle from "lights on".

As for the cat comment, it is because of their fluid movement, often in short bursts, as they stalk prey. You may not see this in an aquarium, but in the field I've followed individuals for hours while they hunted and the behaviour is very cat-like.

Finally, as for size of aquarium, I give people my best guess based on several parameters. First, I have to assume that people do not have the world's most efficient aquarium system. Most don't. That means we err on the side of more water to buffer pertibations. Second, I try to pay attention to the behavior of the animal in the field. For its size, P. ciliata ranges further from its burrow than most stomatopods. I have followed them traveling several meters before returning home. The 20 gal suggestion is based on providing lots of horizontal space to move and is based on the typical shape of a tank. A low, wide 10 gal tank that had the same footprint would be fine, but a tall 20 gal with a small footprint would provide less space to roam. Again, I base most of my recommendations on behavior that I have seen in the field. I have a 4 inch Echinosquilla that NEVER leaves its cavity. I have had it for years and it seems fine in a 5 gal system."

Dan

[Guygettnby]

the red and orange looking mantis are both Neogonodactylus wennerae. the zebra one looks kinda like Lysiosquillina glabriuscula and the other looks to me as Neogonodactylus oerstedii

but i am by no means an expert so i would recomend having Dr. roy take a look at them for a better ID.

[Pea-brain]

Sharkysreef? cmon guy! bottom-top. P. ciliata, G. chiragra, G. platysoma, L. maculata

[Guygettnby]

lol, thats why i said ask Dr. roy. but the red mantis looks exactly like mine and dr. roy said it was a N. wennerae.

[ENraged]

Ok so going over briefly what was stated in the e-mail a 10 long would be ok because it would have more room to roam around.
But a 20 long or a 15 long would be even better.. if i am understanding it rite cause i am dead tired lol
I mention acrylic because I plan on building the tank for work so the less weight the better.
I really want that one on the bottom but now with conflicting info I will just have to wait till my tank is built so i don't have to worry :)
the ones i like are the bottom one and the one bellow the zebra.
Do you guys think black sand would cause them to change color?

[Thurge]

My P.ciliata (Yellow just like the bottom one on Sharky's) is in a 10 because its still not even 3" long and will be moved when she gets larger. She has tunnels connecting just about every piece of Live Rock, and can be seen roaming ALL over the place. I asked Dr. Roy about the color question and he said the yellow P.ciliata's are some of the most stable color wise. The L.mac would probably also display vivid colorations (but get huge). The other two would probably be a toss up.

[ENraged]

Thanks!
I love the foot print of those 9 gallon finnex because it is long but i am going to see about getting some built.
I also think one of those yellow Mantis would look awesome running around on a fine grain black sand :)