Some questions for the mantis folks.

[chasekwe]

Hi Guys/Gals

Lately I've been going into total reef tank withdrawal while I wait to move into my new place in another 8 months or so, ugh!

Anyways, I've talked myself into going with a small tank that I'll be able to transport after I move and maintain as a secondary tank in my new place.

Obviously being that I'm here asking, I would like to include a mantis shrimp into the plan and I have some questions relating to this.


So here goes:

Is there any circumstance in which more than one mantis can be maintained in the aquarium. Perhaps a male and female together for example?

Can a mantis coexist with an anemone and it's associated clownfish?

Can a mantis not coexist with any particular corals?

My current plan is a 40g square rimless (24x24x16) tank. Will I ever see the mantis in this setup or would you suggest I go with something with less depth (ie 48x12x16)?

[tomndeb]

wow

[chasekwe]

I'm assuming you're trying to boost your post count? Or am I just missing some detail by so far that that is the only appropriate response?



EDIT: Never mind you made 15 posts so far today that were 2 words or less. Guess I got my answer.

[Koshmar]

1. The only mantis species that I've heard of being able to form a pair has been the zebra mantis (Lysiosquillina maculata) species. Even if you do get two different sexes, females are difficult to obtain, there is always the possiblitity that they will not form a pair and the male will likely kill the female. If you put two different species in a tank they will most likely kill each other unless it is a huge tank (180 gal or more). If you want two mantis' then I would use a divider to seperate the tank into two sections.

2. The clown fish situation has had many success and failure stories. It will depend on your mantis' personality. The anemone may be a problem as it could harm the mantis. Don't buy a fish you would be afraid to lose.

3. Corals are fine with a mantis. The only problem is the mantis can move/brake-up the coral if it feels like it, especially smashers. Again, don't buy a coral that you would be afraid to lose. I keep a large zoo colony with my chiragra with no problems.

4. For that size of a tank you could keep many species. If you choose a smasher make sure that the glass is thick enough, specifically if you choose a chiragra or peacock. A small mantis will probably go unnoticed. If you want to see your mantis don't get a chiragra, they usually seclude themselves in their burrow, like teenagers. Just have to browse around for a species and hop around the forum.

Check out Roy's List (see top of forum under sticky section)

Good luck.

[chasekwe]

Thanks very much Koshmar.

I figured I'd go with a peacock being that it seems as if it'll be the easiest to acquire.

You really think there is much of a risk with a glass tank assuming I cover the bottom panel in plexi or acrylic?

[svynx]

Putting something on the bottom of the tank isn't a bad idea. In nature, they will dig through the sand and if they hit something hard, they might pound away at it. Tempered glass doesn't like that. And Koshmar's comment on glass thickness was because even though it's not all that common, some of the larger mantids can break their tank. They can hit hard enough to make the water cavitate.

[justinl]

yes, definitely line the bottom with strips of acrylic if you house a hard hitter. I usually recommend small guys like P. ciliata, N. wennerae or G. smithii, but for a 40g, I suggest a peacock, O. scyllarus. small guys will get lost imo. rimless may be a bad idea since O. scyllarus can easily clear 6 inches... still, a carpet surfing mantis is rare.

monogamy isn't super rare in Stomatopoda, it's just rare to find a pair and not easy at all to make a monogamous pair. Most species that can form monogamous pairs also have specialised tank requirments like a DSB. I also would not recommend a species like a couple L. maculata who require such a specialised tank; most people don't like hte idea of having a sandbed over a foot deep.

koshmar's response pretty much sums it up. if you'd be afraid of losing it, don't get it. after a while you'll get to know what your mantis will or will not tolerate. fish that have the best survival rates in mantis tanks are fast, stick to the water column, are kind of aggressive and are diurnal. damsels (inculding clowns) come to mind. be sure the fish won't harm the mantis though; triggers and puffers for example. Coral must be secured so that it is heavy enough that it can't be moved around. Supply the mantis with LR rubble of varying sizes so it can build its burrow with it; it won't bother smashing up live coral or rock if it doesn't have to.

a word of warning: know how to properly ID a peacock if that's what you go with. many lfs and online dealers will call any mantis a peacock because they don't know or won't bother to ID mantids. other catch-all names include lime-green mantis, rainbow mantis, etc. look for wysiwyg ads or stalk lfs tanks so you can id it yourself. or take a pic and show us. Peacocks are the only ones with obvious leopard spotting on the carapace. go look at roys list to get an idea.

[Patroklos]

Yeah, my LFS has a "peacock" thats been there for ages, but as far as I can tell it is not one.

[seawandrr]

As to the question of if you'd ever see a Peacock in a larger tank, mine lives in a 37 gallon Hex with a nice rock/cave structure in the middle, where I pre-built his "cave" and entrances to encourage viewing.

He's got 3 different doorways that all face towards the front, and spends 70% of the time at least visible, or partially out of an entrance and checking things out.

He hasn't yet, in quite a few months since being moved to this tank, felt the need to re-arrange and create a less viewable living pattern.

another 20% of the time, especially under moonlights or lights out, he's out crusing around the tank, sometimes even during the day with full lights.

5% of the time he's deep in the cave and not visible.

[BuddhaKiss]

I can't really add much to what has already been said, but I love my Peacock! She's very curious. Anytime I do work on my reef, I'll glance over and their she is out of her burrow staring at me. She's constantly staring at me which can be unnerving at times.