Considering a mantis...Question

[joeski3]

Hi all,
I have been considering getting a mantis. I have done alot of searching and found all the basic care instructions. Does anybody add supplements to their water? Like Iodine,Calcium, etc.? Any special needs other than having it's own tank? If i am not mistaken i need to run dimmer lighting. I assume standard flouresent would be fine? I have a 29 gallon that i can use. I am planning on adding a few damsels for color and all the snails and hermits too. I am aware all those guys may/will be food at one point but i can replace as needed. Any opnions or advice is appreciated.
Thx!

[Thurge]

I do not suppliment my mantis tank for the mantis. I may on occassion add some calcium for the corals but thats about it and not regularly.

Lighting depends on the mantis species. Some are found in very brightly lit areas and others are from deeper and are more sensitive to lighting. For any mantis though florescent will be fine. Also provide enough LR and rubble that the mantis can build a home and get away from the light should it choose to.

"I am aware all those guys may/will be food..."
No may, will be food, at least the snails. One of my mantis can not have a boat load of snails added or he will litterally not rest until they have all been mashed into oblivan. So I keep a bunch in my reef and give him treats.

[lionbacker54]

i think your build sounds great, and agree with what thurge said. i do not add any supplements, and read somewhere from dr. roy that there is no reason to add iodine to help with molting. as for your clean up crew, my experience is different from most mantis owners. my mantis shows no aggression to anything. if anything, he is scared of the other inhabitants. just a couple days ago, i had stuffed a snail shell with krill and placed it in front of its burrow. two hermit crabs went into his burrow to fight over it, and he stayed withdrawn. i think a lot has to do with personality.

[joeski3]

Thx guys! That's a big help. Now i need to dig thru the supplies and see what i have to get started!

[stepho]

From what I read Iodine is not good for stomatopods.

[Koshmar]

Anything can be bad if there is too much of it. I don't touch suppliments anymore. I dosed a few times with Ca (lower than what they recommended) and my Ca readings went through the roof! I guess it's ok if you have the right equipment to take accurate readings and you know what you're doing though.