10-12g Mantis Poll

[travisurfer]

So which mantis do you think would be the coolest in either a 10g AGA or a 12g nanocube. I was thinking about modest lighting like a 40w pc fixture w/moonlight, one giant piece of liverock, possibly some macros, and maybe a seaclone skimmer(do they prosper in nutrient free environments?). Please vote in the pole or post below. Thanks.

 

[Thurge]

I will have to go with the N.wennera, but I haven't had the pleasure of a G. smithii.

 

[Gonodactylus]

O. havanensis.

 

[Uriel]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7669865#post7669865 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Gonodactylus
O. havanensis.

Have any spares sitting around Dr. Roy? I have never seen one, but that is the species that looks the coolest (For not ever seeing one for sale)...


-Ron

 

[Gonodactylus]

Actually there are three very similar species, O. havanensis from Florida, O. brevirostrisis from Hawaii and O latirostris from Indonesia. I have seen all of them for sale from time to time. If you see one, grab it. They are excellent burrowers and highly interactive. They do best in a 20 gal or larger but a 50 mm animal can handle a 12 gal. The only problems keeping them are that they jump (at least 4 inches out of the water) and they cannot tolerate low oxygen levels.

Roy

 

[Uriel]

Well, if you ever see one at a local distributor, and are not going to buy it, feel free to let me know. How does one provide higher oxygen levels for their mantis, btw?


-Ron

 

[travisurfer]

perhaps a skimmer? ill have to check out O. havenensis. right now i do have perfecto 20H which im guessing has pretty thin glass. if they had a top would they injure themselves when they hit it?

 

[Frostyeel]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7670497#post7670497 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by travisurfer
perhaps a skimmer? ill have to check out O. havenensis. right now i do have perfecto 20H which im guessing has pretty thin glass. if they had a top would they injure themselves when they hit it?

I'm guessing that even jumping into a hard glass top will injure the mantis less than drying up like a raisin. If you don't want to worry about that then just make jump guards to extend the walls up 4 or 5 inches.

 

[travisurfer]

maybe a 20H tank that hasnt been completely filled. i think that could work be i bet there would be some nasty saltcreep and I wouldnt be able to hang any filters off of the back unless i did some weird acryllic work.

 

[travisurfer]

do g. smithi and n. wennerae jump as well?

 

[Gonodactylus]

Much less and they can usually only just clear the surface. O. havanensis are much faster animals.

Roy

 

[travisurfer]

ok, that might be the better option since i dont want to have the mantis hurt himself by jumping into something or jumping out of the tank. havenensis sounds cool though.

 

[majestic sea life]

O. latirostris all the way. I had one before then sent her to Dr. roy. Cool mantis and always out and about. But they are harder to find.

 

[travisurfer]

I will have to see what the lfs can get in. I really want something active that will be out and about; cool coloration wouldnt hurt either.

 

[travisurfer]

would a smithi do alright in a 7gal eclipse hex?

 

[travisurfer]

here is the tank:
http://www.petsmart.com/global/prod...12113&itemNo=13&Nao=12&In=Fish&N=2030099&Ne=2

 

[travisurfer]

is there enough space?

 

[Flusher]

That 7 G tank is really narrow. I'd be worried that the mantis (or anything else put in there) would be cramped. Also, tall narrow tanks have less surface area for oxygen exchange. I've read that shallower tanks with larger footprints can actually sustain more life than the same sized tanks of different dimensions. Shallower tanks cost less to light, also.

A 20H should have the same (or thicker) glass than a regular 20 gallon tank, which is 1/4", AFAIK.

 

[travisurfer]

well i am thinking about a standard 10AGA now or a 7g minibow but im leaning towards the 10.

 

[travisurfer]

how does this sound:
10 AGA
seaclone 100
satellite 40w
50w heater(ebo jager most likely)
super shallow sandbed
one giant piece of live rock on one side
possibly some macros on the left with open space in the middle
one gonodactylus smithi

kind of depends on whats for sale and what i like best as far as some of the equipment