1/4" enough for a peacock?

[Giga]

I'm building a rimless shallow tank and am wondering if I can hose a peacock in 1/4" glass? of cource there will be a acrylic sheet below the sand to prevent breaking through the bottom. But you think the rest would be ok?

 

[Jellyman1213]

I would not use glass period. They attack the seems not just the bottoms. I know three different people who came home to cracked tanks after I warned them against putting a mantis in a glass tank. All three times the same thing, cracked in the corner of the tank and water everywhere. Trust me go acrylic.

 

[Giga]

I don't like acrylic it scratches to ez and starts to haze. I have yet to see one break a tank so I'll wait to see what other people have to say then make a choice. becuase a tank of 25"x21"x9" out of 1/4 is around 60$ out of 1/2" cast acrylic is like 300$. I want rimless.

 

[Giga]

maybee i'll just get a smaller species

 

[sabazerehi]

i've had mantis in glass tanks and i never had a problem, my smaller one (2-3in) has even hit the glass numerous times and nothing has happened.

 

[Gonodactylus]

Quarter inch glass is a bit risky for an O. scyllarus over about 4.5 inches. I would also stay away from a really big G. chiragra (4 inches). Your standard 3.5 inch gonodactylid should be fine.

Roy

 

[Giga]

what about 3/8" glass?

 

[Gonodactylus]

Should be right. The only tanks I have seen broken that were that thick were hit by a 7.5 inch male O. scyllarus and a 12.5 inche Hemisquilla. There is always the chance of a chip on a seam, but that would be unlikely with this thickness of glass.

Roy

 

[Giga]

what mantis do you recomend for 1/4" glass?

 

[Gonodactylus]

That depends partly on the size of the aquarium. Large aquaria will naturally expose the glass to greater pressures and glass under such strain is more likely to fail when struck. Assuming something in the 20-30 gal range, all but the largest spearers and just about any smasher under 4-5 inches would probably be ok.

Roy

 

[kdblove_99]

Always here of mantis can break glass. but i have yet to see proof

 

[Gonodactylus]

What constitutes proof. I assume you will not believe it until you have personally witnessed a break. If we assume that you have kept perhaps a dozen stomatopods, the chances of seeing a break are not great. If you multiply this by hundreds of aquarists who have kept stomatopods, the chances of seeing a failure are better. However, since you did not see it, I assume it did not happen.. I have kept literally thousands of stomatopods and have seen a few broken tanks which I have reported several times on this forum. I guess your experience with a few animals brings my experience into quesstion. So be it. I guess I'm wrong and stomatopods don't break tanks.

Roy

 

[kookerson]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12762673#post12762673 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kdblove_99
Always here of mantis can break glass. but i have yet to see proof

Hearing about it is proof enough for me........someone could be lying (which I seriously doubt, as Gonadactylus has more experience than all of us combined) but would you like to find out for yourself? Err on the side of caution, right? ANywho, FWIW, I have a 3 inch peacock who whacked my glass tank when she saw me getting ready to drop a krill in there.......not sure if it was fully strength, but it was loud and scared the H*** out of me, and my tank is still good........

 

[Gonodactylus]

Well, I will admit to being a bit grumpy in that last post. I had just flown from Sydney to San Francisco in the back of a completley full 747 setting next to a pair of 14 month old twins. Sorry about that.

I have tanks fail even without them being hit by stomatopods. If you are going to keep saltwater anywhere but in an aquarium room with epoxy floors and drains, you need to over-design and over protect. For any smasher over 5 inches, I recommend lining the bottom of a glass tank with acrylic strips. And if you hear and/or see an animals striking the same area repeatedly (digging behaviour), protect that area with plastic.

Roy

 

[kdblove_99]

I'll say grumpy My post was in no way questioning your integrity if they have broken one or not. I dont have to see to believe. BUt, I never see anyone report this. I must have missed your prior post about it.

 

[Giga]

I think i'm just going to get a smaller smasher or one of the spearers. Something more rare(though might have to wait to find)

 

[Giga]

I found a G. chiragra for my tank and it looks just like the last picture of Dr roys list. Looks so cool and I want to buy but am not sure. Has chiragra ever been know to break tank with 3/8" glass? He's super agressive as I got near the tank and he struck the tank. The thank is only 1/4" glass and the mantis is 4" or so. So I think I would be ok.Any one have any exp. with this guys?


I'm also considering Odontodactylus cultrifer or Gonodactylaceus ternatensis but Have yet to find one of those. Is cultrifer a smasher becuase it looks like a spearer on Roys list?

 

[Gonodactylus]

The G. chiragra should be o.k. in a 3/8th inch tank, but yes, I have had them chip the seam and cause a leak.

O. cultrifer is a smasher and fairly rare. I have seen three in the trade is the past several years.

ROy

 

[Giga]

hmm maybee if I put a little shield on the seams like a piece of acylic or foam.Hows been your exp with ternatensis looks like a cool mantis too