Im guessing already know the answer...

[sjmantis]

So as my tank matures Im looking to get another mantis. Current tank is a 20 long, about 4.5 months old, has been very stable for a while now. The only problem I see is that Im using 3 PAR38 12ks over the tank. I was originally going to go for high light corals but time and money do not permit. I love my original smithii and I want to get another. The lights will most likely fry these guys right? I have the stock tank light that still works just fine. Thanks guys

edit: the par38s have 80 optics

[DanInSD]

G. smithii is found as shallow as the "low intertidal", which is pretty darned shallow. They should be able to handle about as much light as you can put in there.

Dan

[sjmantis]

What about a peacock, they can get shell disease right

[Gonodactylus]

O. scyllarus do not do well in bright light - or with other smaller stomatopods. I've watched them in the field run down, kill and eat G. smithii-sized stomatopods. Unless you have a really well divided tank that is stomatopod proof, forget trying to have two gonodactyloids. Case in point: this morning I found two G. chiragra fighting it out on the same side of a divided tank. I had left the water level low so that there was at least a three inch barrier above the water. One animal crawled over the partition. Happens all the time.

Roy

[sjmantis]

Im sorry, let me clarify. I had a smithii in a prior tank. I would like to keep a O. scyllarus in this tank. If I sold the par38s what would be the best fixture for him?

[DanInSD]

A 20 is on the small side for O. scyllarus. The best light would be no light -- just ambient. Other than that, relatively dim blue-spectrum lighting would be best.

Dan

[sjmantis]

Well I have been looking into a 40br or 30 long. I think Ill sell those par38s and get a new tank

[Thurge]

Could someone clue me in as to exactly what a PAR38 light is? I checked out Nanotuners and I get its an LED light but what is up with the 40, 60, 80 degree optics and are they like a screw in bulb (just $110 more than a normal bulb)?
I'm old and these new fangled things confuse me.

[sjmantis]

Yes they are like a standard screw in bulb but with 5 LEDs that put out 21w of light total. The optics determine how focused the light is coming out of the bulb(they snap onto the front of the bulb)

[Altpers0na]

what model light is it?

[sjmantis]

12k (two blue, three white) with 80 optics

[Thurge]

:thumbsup: Very cool, thanks for the info. Sounds like a great idea for a way to keep one or two higher light corals in a low light tank.