2 Mantis Compatibility Questions Starfish/Light Tolerant spec.

[Fitz19d]

Hi Mantis lovers.

I've upgraded/solidified most of the equipment I've been getting ready for my first salt tank. Couple questions I had was:

A: I assume not, but would starfish go unmolested by a mantis? I was slightly curious about maybe if they would survive as a little bit of CUC unlike hermits.

B: I now have a tank big enough for a peacock. Perhaps even too large for some i'd originally been thinking of. What I was wondering if anyone knew off the top of their head what species are more light tolerant, larger preferred. The reason I had this question was is my girlfriend now becoming interested a bit has informed me she wants a pretty coral tank. So while I'd been planning a MOWLR, was wondering how feasible it would be to make it a reef only + mantis and CUC tank.


So far the tank is a 45g long with a 20g sump/refugium. 2 Koralia 1050's in tank with a mag 7 pump for the return. Will have 50 lbs of liverock and likely add a bit more. Sump has a Reef octopus BH 100 skimmer, and some baffles where I may or may not put sponges/socks with gfo etc if needed. 300 watt jäger heater.

[nmotz]

1. Every mantis has their own individual preferences about what they will allow to live with them in their little world. Some will absolutely not allow another living being to exist within the four walls of their aquarium. I had a G. Chiragra that allowed several small blue leg hermits and two very large (circumference greater than a quarter) turbo snails to live with him. Others have been reported to live peaceably with fish, different types/sizes of snails, etc. The problem here is that you won't know how your mantis will be until he's in the tank.

So, the best advice I and others on this website can give you is that you shouldn't put anything in the tank that you aren't willing to part with. If it's too expensive or you are sentimental towards it or need it to clean your tank or whatever, just be prepared to come in one day and find out that it became dinner while you were away. Some owners have reported that their fish had been buddy-buddy with their mantis for a long time only to find that one day, all of a sudden, they were eaten.

2. It sounds like you have a nice setup for any mantis, and a really good size for a Peacock. Some other larger species that would be good for that tank are G. Smithii, G. Graphurus, G. Ternatensis (although many on this site would not advertise this species due to how they are collected), and G. Chiragra. The latter two are sometimes suspect to shell rot, but not nearly so much as the Peacock. I would go with a Smithii or a Graphurus if I were you. G. Chiragra's are usually not as interactive and will not come out of their burrow as much. My Chiragra wasn't too bad really. He was always working on his burrrow too, which was fun to watch.

[Islandoftiki]

How about something like a G. Graphurus? That would be my first choice if I were shopping for a mantis right now. Some of them are more colorful than a peacock.

[nmotz]

whoops, double post

[Kharn]

Stomatopods & Dividers do NOT mix unless the divider is a fixed in place SOLID wall like glass (not eggcrate / plastic etc), smaller stomatopods (G.smithii / G.graphurus etc) can climb over them using the gaps in the divider as a ladder to help crawl up. Larger stomatopods and some smaller one (O.scyllarus) will smash through it inevitably.

[Fitz19d]

Danke Schon, exactly what I was looking for. Was kinda hoping for some reason starfish were more immune to predation. If I can't know for sure I'll skip putting any in. Care less about cost then some twisted sense of morality, (Since I will be feeding it at least some live food among the shrimp and scallops.)


1. Every mantis has their own individual preferences about what they will allow to live with them in their little world. Some will absolutely not allow another living being to exist within the four walls of their aquarium. I had a G. Chiragra that allowed several small blue leg hermits and two very large (circumference greater than a quarter) turbo snails to live with him. Others have been reported to live peaceably with fish, different types/sizes of snails, etc. The problem here is that you won't know how your mantis will be until he's in the tank.

So, the best advice I and others on this website can give you is that you shouldn't put anything in the tank that you aren't willing to part with. If it's too expensive or you are sentimental towards it or need it to clean your tank or whatever, just be prepared to come in one day and find out that it became dinner while you were away. Some owners have reported that their fish had been buddy-buddy with their mantis for a long time only to find that one day, all of a sudden, they were eaten.

2. It sounds like you have a nice setup for any mantis, and a really good size for a Peacock. Some other larger species that would be good for that tank are G. Smithii, G. Graphurus, G. Ternatensis (although many on this site would not advertise this species due to how they are collected), and G. Chiragra. The latter two are sometimes suspect to shell rot, but not nearly so much as the Peacock. I would go with a Smithii or a Graphurus if I were you. G. Chiragra's are usually not as interactive and will not come out of their burrow as much. My Chiragra wasn't too bad really. He was always working on his burrrow too, which was fun to watch.

[Gonodactylus]

I would suggest G. smithii or G. platysoma. Both tolerate light fairly well. While there is a slight risk of including starfish. predation on them is rare unless the stomatopod is very hungry.

You might also consider a large Pseudosquillid. P. ciliata or Raoulserenea might work for you.

ROy