2 mantis cohabitating? no......

[rcoulter]

Have a 10 gal with a 3" n. wennerae, he's bright green and great fun. About a week ago we found a bright solid one that looked alot like 'boomer' and was the same size - just a diff color. We decided to see if boomer would like a tankmate - obviously not! This morning we found the red one lying dead and partially eaten! It had to have been over territory as there was plenty of other food in the tank. Anyone had any success keeping two together?

 

[MDKyleZ]

I've kept two and even three in one tank before.

As far as I can tell, females kill males after mating. They also take advantage of any easy meal if one molts the other may take advantage of the molt.

Kyle

 

[Danz]

Its possible if two are introduced together where they can establish their own territory. But putting another one in with an established one...well...you saw the result.
I have a peacock about 3" and introduced a 4" one to the 20g. The 3" one killed him within 24 hours.

 

[StevenLees]

Check out <a href="http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=338396">this thread</a>.

 

[StevenLees]

Check out <a href="http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=338396">this thread</a>.

 

[rcoulter]

Obviously Boomer wanted to be alone. When I first introduced the red mantis to the tank he/she immediatly went over to boomers hole in the rock to say hello. Evidentlly he/she didn't see the sign on the door that said 'no soliciting' as about fifteen seconds after ringing the doorbell I heard a telltale 'CRACK' and the red one went running for cover! The red one was injured but we watched and they both later ate, so I decided to just leave them alone and see if they couldn't 'work it out'. Obviously not. The red one made it one week to the day. Boomer ate just about all of the other one, leaving only the back shell.

I guess he wont be getting any more tankmates.

 

[Reef Pinoy]

I had a 1.5 inch wennerae with a 6 inch peacock with no problems, until the stone crab (food for the peacock) killed the wennerae. I think the key is the ability of the smaller ones to be able to hide in holes that the established one can't squeeze into.

 

[Jon Lazar]

I once found two 1" mantis shrimp living together in the same burrow. I saw one poke his head out from a hole in the rocky base of a bubble coral, and pulled the rock out to extract the mantis. I broke open part of the rock to get him out, and out popped two mantis shrimp. Don't know if they were on a hot date, or whether it was two guys watching a game, but there they were.

Happy reefing,
Jon

 

[rcoulter]

lol, mantis shrimp are too funny. They each seem to have distinct personalities.