Aquascaping with mantis

[crysis]

Are there any good marine gloves that protect against getting smashed? Im thinking ahead about the best way to add coral or deal with any problems inside the tank. Ive got forceps and aqua tongs... but sometimes reaching in is necessary...although I dont think a peacock would like that. What do you guys do?

[Koshmar]

I've got claupera and a ball of chaeto in my tank right now. My chiragra doesn't move it around or anything. The claupera can be a bit of a problem when it goes sexual/asexual (not sure which one) but it does look nice and keeps the PO4 down. You just have to clip the runners every now and then. I just use my bare hands (though I am crazy), when I'm clipping the runners. My chiragra usually just hides while I work. A peacock may respond differently considering it's more outgoing than most G. chiragras. I would use a long pair of tongs for aquascaping with a largish smasher or spearer.

[J2FcM]

You could have a spotter, or net (or bowl) the Mantis. Put some food in a container and put a lid on it.

[crysis]

Now that sounds like a good idea. Wonder how difficult it would be to get her in there. And how ****ed she would be at me once I let her go. A big plastic clear bowl ideally. I think I like that idea.

[J2FcM]

Mine either just chilled in a "ready to kill" stance, or smacked the sides... I'd just poke some holes in it, and leave it on the floor of the tank in a corner. But, my Mantis is DOWN to get food wherever it is... so I need to wait like 30 seconds before she's going whereever the food is.

[TrappedMetal]

Use long grabbers. Removing the mantis completely unnecessary and will stress the animal out.

[spectrascott]

I just stick my hand in my tank and pull he calurpa out. Mine is alittle one though and do not see it much:rolleyes: Would love to see it more but it likes to hang out in its hole. Good luck with the tank!

[Koshmar]

I agree with Trapped about trying to hold the mantis in a container. Mine hated it when I moved her into a fish bowl to take some pics for ids. I would just use some long tongs. Whenever possible, don't attempt to capture your mantis. It really stresses them out and afterward they usually hold up in their burrow for a long time. You can tell if you have ever done this, it's just not worth it. Besides, if you try to use a net, the mantis can become entangled in the mesh. When a mantis is entangled like that they can freak out and hurt themselves trying to get out.

[Dr.LisaL]

Yea trapping sounds like it could be harmful. I just feed mine to keep him occupied, he'll take the food and hide in his burrow for awhile, then I can do what ever I want to the coral or aquascape...he isn't concerned when he has food :)

[justinl]

no trapping imo. If your mantis is chill enough, you *can* use bare hands... i do. Ive been smacked once or twice though. I honestly have to say i can't recommend bare hands. there are usually pretty thick aqua-gloves available at the lfs.

Before I introduced my peacock into the tank I planned out the aquascaping. I made a rather large rock pile of an island to one side that would be the mantis' mansion. then I filled the rest of the tank with very wide open rockwork that would be unsuitable as a close fitting burrow that a mantis usually prefers... I sort of coerced him into preferring the one side of the tank. This way I am able to mess with the aquascape of two thirds of the tank (where most of the coral resides) while the mantis sits happy in his island which I dont usually touch; it's an agreement we're both happy with.

I do not know if your tank would be big enough to allow this arrangement though. mine is a 75g

[TrappedMetal]

The downside to bear hands is if you dont remember to wash them thoroughly, if you have any kinds of nasty chemicals on your hands this can lead to slow painful death of mantis shrimps.

[crysis]

Went and bought some thick marine gloves. They should be enough I think, at least to add or remove a rock and such. The LFS I went to yesterday had 2 mantis, no peacocks though. Gonna start setting everything up this week, so I still have some time before I find my mantis and she comes into her new home.

PS - my tank is 32g so not quite as big as your 75. Im going to have two "mountains" on each side of the tank with a valley and some rubble in between. Ill have a pvc under one of the mountains and try to get her to take to that. We will see how she reacts. Then I get to plan my coral.

[justinl]

should work i think. a 75g is a bit excessive :) But yes you should find those gloves quite useful. As you aquascape think about it; Im sure you'll find something that works.

oh and to "force" the mantis to take a burrow of you choosing, a divider could work well. it would at least prevent it from establishing the other rockpile on the other side of the tank. Once it sets up a burrow, it is fairly unlikely it will move to a new one.

[Koshmar]

It seems to be universal with any burrowing animal, if you want it to make a home in a specific location, it will pick the worst place for you to view it at. :) I would just advise to be flexible. Both of my mantis' made homes facing the back of my tank until I rearranged the rock. I did this fairly early though. IMO if you change the rock right when you see that the burrow is not facing for your enjoyment you run a lower risk of stressing the animal. Just make sure to change the rock position before the mantis gets settled in.

[Guygettnby]

just stick your hands in the tank. it doesnt hurt that bad...:lol:...i get smaked all the time from my peacock, i think it is more of a love tap from mine though. my N.Wennerea hurts alittle more.

[crysis]

Doesnt a peacock hit harder then a wennerea?? At least when they get bigger? Ive seen pics of people with their fingers dripping blood, don't know if I feel like getting blood on the floor. lol Now its just a matter of finding my peacock. The LFS had a wennerae (i think it was anyway; green with white meral spots that had a red outline) and a spearer, not sure which though (green with a white stripe down the back, had checkered eyes). We will see....

[Guygettnby]

oh, the peacock for sure could hit alot harder then my N.Wennerea. but my peacock has never actually put her full force behind her blows to me. she is very timid towards me, i can even feed her by hand if i so choose. my Wennerea on the other hand is alittle demon and likes to hurt you if you come in his domain.

on another note i have been smaked and stabed by plenty of mantis shrimp and it does not feel good when they actualy get you. i actually got hit 1 time so hard that i jerked my hand outa the tank and knocked the light into the water... lucky me nobody got hurt.....i mean shocked :lol:

[Feclar]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13944742#post13944742 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by justinl
Once it sets up a burrow, it is fairly unlikely it will move to a new one.

Frenchie my peacock moved 12+lbs of sand to build a new empire on the other side of the tank over thanksgiving weekend

He still goes and checks out his original burrow which only has one entrance (he blocked the other)

[Koshmar]

Yeah, once they put their mind to it they really get to work. My chiragra blew a hole right through a large piece of lr when she was in construction mode. She did it again and now has a second entrance and a little trap door at the base. It's really cool to see them working with little pieces when they ceal up their burrow. You can almost watch their little minds working with how to put the pieces in the best way. I wish I could play tetris against my chiragra just to see who would win.:lol:

[justinl]

the one with white merals with red streaks around them is a G. viridis. the green one with the white racing stripe and checkered eyes is P. ciliata.

feclar, I did say fairly unlikely :) lol tough luck.

koshmar, honestly, I have no doubt at all that a mantis would own any tetris master on the planet, rapts down.

[crysis]

Yeah figured the spearer was a ciliata. Wasnt sure if the other was a wennerae or something else... just knew it wasn't a peacock which is what I am looking for. Doesnt matter just yet anyway, tank has to cycle before anything.