Saliki
03/07/2003, 12:49 AM
Just got some more Florida rock last week, and finally got a mantis! I have 2 hairy crabs also. I was of the opinion to let them be, until they started to act up. The hairy crab tried to eat my cucumber one morning, so now he is in my sump. I had trouble with an emerald crab picking at my toadstool leather, so he ended up in my sump too.
Now to the mantis. He is a little bugger, only about an inch long. I used to have a LARGE mantis in a species tank, and really enjoyed watching him. So, I certainly dont want to kill him, but the typical reef mentalilty is to get him out of the main tank. What exactly can he do to my tank? I already have a pistol shrimp, so I am used to the digging and clicking that comes with suck species. If he is well fed, will he eventually turn on his tankmates? Any reefer / mantis cohabitation experience would be helpful in my decision.
Now to the mantis. He is a little bugger, only about an inch long. I used to have a LARGE mantis in a species tank, and really enjoyed watching him. So, I certainly dont want to kill him, but the typical reef mentalilty is to get him out of the main tank. What exactly can he do to my tank? I already have a pistol shrimp, so I am used to the digging and clicking that comes with suck species. If he is well fed, will he eventually turn on his tankmates? Any reefer / mantis cohabitation experience would be helpful in my decision.