Tank mates for my peacock mantis shrimp, help please

j4ckfish · 10/11/2016, 03:21 AM

Hey guys I have set up a 35 gallon aquarium for my peacock mantis shrimp and have everything running and just waiting on for the hsc to finish to start stocking.
The question I have is for the possibility on tank mates for my peacock mantis shrimp, I am going to get a smaller mantis to start off with so it will not be such a threat and I was thinking of the following as a companion for him (only one of the list not all will go in):

- fluffy/zebra dwarf lion fish
- Saddle Valentini Puffer
- Humu Picasso Triggerfish or any other smaller slow growing species (buy a baby one and then sell it off when grown out of tank)

My tank is 90W x 36D x 42H and have coral bits and sand substrate with big and small pieces of live rock and planning to add soft corals like xenia and hammer corals.

Cheers for any advice, Jack

nmotz · 10/11/2016, 07:15 AM

I think if you put those fish with a mantis you'll risk the following:

-Mantis consumes fish
-Fish consumes mantis (depending on size ratio)
-Mantis fears fish, becomes reclusive

I'm not saying that you can't succeed, but it would be fairly unlikely to last long-term. Also, it's difficult to know for certain the effect that stress has on Peacocks but I imagine it increases the likelihood of trouble during a molt.

If you do this, at a minimum I would recommend a larger tank, but IMO it will probably not work out. Maybe run 2 tanks?

j4ckfish · 10/11/2016, 11:42 PM

Yea I have a smaller aquarium that is roughly half the size so maybe depending on the size of the shrimp i will have him in that one and put the fish in the tank,
any suggestion on which is best out of the three?
cheers

nmotz · 10/12/2016, 07:06 AM

I'm not too knowledgeable about fish but I do know that mantis shrimp seem to respond best to small fish, usually damsels. I think it's pretty unprecedented to try to keep those type of fish with a Peacock. You can always give it a shot, but I think it's a big risk that will end up costing you a lot of money.

You could use that smaller tank for a while until you save up more money for a tank big enough for a Peacock.

Jlentz · 10/12/2016, 01:08 PM

I'm pretty sure triggers and puffers eat inverts.

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j4ckfish · 10/28/2016, 04:56 AM

So I got a mantis and have a blue spotted puffer with him along with two gobies, he is looking really stressed and sometimes randomly darts around the tank then stops moving and just sits out in the open not moving, quite nervous about him

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j4ckfish · 10/28/2016, 04:56 AM

He's a peacock 11 cm btw

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nmotz · 10/28/2016, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by j4ckfish

So I got a mantis and have a blue spotted puffer with him along with two gobies, he is looking really stressed and sometimes randomly darts around the tank then stops moving and just sits out in the open not moving, quite nervous about him

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Does he have a proper burrow? Pictures would help in this case. Usually if the mantis has a dark burrow it will hide there until it feels more comfortable. How did you acclimate?

j4ckfish · 10/28/2016, 02:44 PM

There is a PVC pipe for him and he has used it but he doesnt stay in it, wondering if I should put a blockage at one end so it is darker and safer for him

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BvN · 10/28/2016, 05:54 PM

Best is to create a larger/longer burrow. Get a straight PVC centre piece and add a 90 degree corner piece at both sides so you get kind of U form pipe. If it's dark in the middle than it's good.

nmotz · 10/28/2016, 06:07 PM

Take a look at this video for an idea about how long/wide to make the burrow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NNNaiRmtAA

The length of that tank is 36 inches so the burrow is roughly 14-15 inches (35-38cm) long. The interior diameter is 2.5 inches (6.35cm).

The reason you want it to be long and not too wide is because the excess light bothers Peacocks if they never have a place to hide. If you can still see the Peacock in the burrow, it's not long enough, and if light can pass freely from one side to the other, it's too wide. Mantis shrimp can fold their bodies in half to turn around inside a tight space so don't worry about it being too narrow. A full grown Peacock will do fine inside a 3 in (7.6cm) diameter pipe for example.

j4ckfish · 10/29/2016, 03:22 AM

Yea I blocked one side and he seems to like that, cheers for the help

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Bobbitworm13 · 11/04/2016, 05:56 AM

The puffer may eat the mantis as they prey on them in the wild. Don't do the fuzzy dwarf Lionfish, one would kill the other. The gobies are probably an expensive meal

ClubberLang78 · 06/01/2017, 06:09 AM

2 X Damsels with my Mantis since the beginning and he actually seems to like them. They get along real well and Peacock is still very active.

10/11/2016, 03:21 AM	#1
j4ckfish Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 37	Tank mates for my peacock mantis shrimp, help please Hey guys I have set up a 35 gallon aquarium for my peacock mantis shrimp and have everything running and just waiting on for the hsc to finish to start stocking. The question I have is for the possibility on tank mates for my peacock mantis shrimp, I am going to get a smaller mantis to start off with so it will not be such a threat and I was thinking of the following as a companion for him (only one of the list not all will go in): - fluffy/zebra dwarf lion fish - Saddle Valentini Puffer - Humu Picasso Triggerfish or any other smaller slow growing species (buy a baby one and then sell it off when grown out of tank) My tank is 90W x 36D x 42H and have coral bits and sand substrate with big and small pieces of live rock and planning to add soft corals like xenia and hammer corals. Cheers for any advice, Jack

10/11/2016, 07:15 AM	#2
nmotz Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: FL, USA Posts: 1,433	I think if you put those fish with a mantis you'll risk the following: -Mantis consumes fish -Fish consumes mantis (depending on size ratio) -Mantis fears fish, becomes reclusive I'm not saying that you can't succeed, but it would be fairly unlikely to last long-term. Also, it's difficult to know for certain the effect that stress has on Peacocks but I imagine it increases the likelihood of trouble during a molt. If you do this, at a minimum I would recommend a larger tank, but IMO it will probably not work out. Maybe run 2 tanks? __________________ Mantis shrimp are the best! Current Tank Info: 20L Peacock mantis shrimp tank

10/12/2016, 07:06 AM	#4
nmotz Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: FL, USA Posts: 1,433	I'm not too knowledgeable about fish but I do know that mantis shrimp seem to respond best to small fish, usually damsels. I think it's pretty unprecedented to try to keep those type of fish with a Peacock. You can always give it a shot, but I think it's a big risk that will end up costing you a lot of money. You could use that smaller tank for a while until you save up more money for a tank big enough for a Peacock. __________________ Mantis shrimp are the best! Current Tank Info: 20L Peacock mantis shrimp tank

10/28/2016, 05:54 PM	#10
BvN Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 91	Best is to create a larger/longer burrow. Get a straight PVC centre piece and add a 90 degree corner piece at both sides so you get kind of U form pipe. If it's dark in the middle than it's good. __________________ Cheers, Bert 350galon system - Return: RD12000 - Skimmer: BBK SM 250 - Flow: 2x MP40W - 2x Giesemann Aurora - Ca reactor: Dastaco XtremA + Ultegra - Neptune Apex full (AFS, 2nd EB6, WXM, BoB)

10/28/2016, 06:07 PM	#11
nmotz Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: FL, USA Posts: 1,433	Take a look at this video for an idea about how long/wide to make the burrow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NNNaiRmtAA The length of that tank is 36 inches so the burrow is roughly 14-15 inches (35-38cm) long. The interior diameter is 2.5 inches (6.35cm). The reason you want it to be long and not too wide is because the excess light bothers Peacocks if they never have a place to hide. If you can still see the Peacock in the burrow, it's not long enough, and if light can pass freely from one side to the other, it's too wide. Mantis shrimp can fold their bodies in half to turn around inside a tight space so don't worry about it being too narrow. A full grown Peacock will do fine inside a 3 in (7.6cm) diameter pipe for example. __________________ Mantis shrimp are the best! Current Tank Info: 20L Peacock mantis shrimp tank

10/11/2016, 11:42 PM	#3
j4ckfish Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 37	Yea I have a smaller aquarium that is roughly half the size so maybe depending on the size of the shrimp i will have him in that one and put the fish in the tank, any suggestion on which is best out of the three? cheers

10/12/2016, 01:08 PM	#5
Jlentz Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 332	I'm pretty sure triggers and puffers eat inverts. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

10/28/2016, 04:56 AM	#6
j4ckfish Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 37	So I got a mantis and have a blue spotted puffer with him along with two gobies, he is looking really stressed and sometimes randomly darts around the tank then stops moving and just sits out in the open not moving, quite nervous about him Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

10/28/2016, 02:44 PM	#9
j4ckfish Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 37	There is a PVC pipe for him and he has used it but he doesnt stay in it, wondering if I should put a blockage at one end so it is darker and safer for him Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

10/29/2016, 03:22 AM	#12
j4ckfish Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 37	Yea I blocked one side and he seems to like that, cheers for the help Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

11/04/2016, 05:56 AM	#13
Bobbitworm13 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Russell Springs, KY Posts: 330	The puffer may eat the mantis as they prey on them in the wild. Don't do the fuzzy dwarf Lionfish, one would kill the other. The gobies are probably an expensive meal

06/01/2017, 06:09 AM	#14
ClubberLang78 Registered Member Join Date: May 2017 Location: Dallas, Texas Posts: 5	2 X Damsels with my Mantis since the beginning and he actually seems to like them. They get along real well and Peacock is still very active.