40B mantis reef

Bobbitworm13

Bobbitworm13

New member
Hi Reef Central!
I am making this thread about my 40B (rescue) mantis reef tank. It has been up since early November and I finally decided to make a thread for it. I am almost sure the mantis to be a Gonodactylus virdis. He is green with a whitish meral spot and white spots over the body. The tank will be a softy and lps reef.

--Params--

pH 8
Ammonia 0.0
Nitrite 0.0
Nitrate 5-10
Sg 1.025-1.026

--Equipment--
Aquaclear 70
Finnex controllable heater
Aquatic life 115 ( undersized I know )
Galaxyhydro controllable led
Jabao rw4
40 pounds of live sand
40 pounds of live rock plus some rubble

Fish
Yellow tail damsel

Inverts
Hermits
A nassarius snail
4 turbo snails( I have bad gha)
Gonodactylus virdis

Coral
Zoas
A 2 head Duncan

Thanks for checking out my thread, I need some advice on care of torches and frogspawn coral. Thanks in advance.
 
Sounds like a neat set-up. Post some pictures when you get the chance. A G. Viridis shouldn't be too difficult to take care of and should last you a few years if you're lucky.
 
Thanks. I will try to get some pictures later. I'll have to get out the camera and do it because my iPhone pics are terrible. I also need help identifying some algae. It is green and grows in curls. I'll get some pics when I get pics of the mantis but do you have any ideas what it could be? Thanks
 
Always tough to identify algae without photos, but sounds like hair algae. Treatment for most types of algae is fairly straightforward: maximize nutrient export. Skim. Grow macroalgae. Run carbon (GAC). Then again, algae is a usual character in almost every tank. You already have turbo snails and those help quite a bit in my experience. You might try to manually remove the worst parts.

After dealing with every form of algae, the worst by far is bubble algae IMO. It can be present and thrive regardless of nutrient levels and requires manual removal in many cases. That takes forever. The only other option is emerald crabs, but they are only pseudo-reliable. And in a Peacock tank they are a huge liability because they often can't stay alive long enough to get the job done. That's the problem in my tank anyway!
 
Yeah my turbo snails are destroying the algae. Have you ever used phosguard from seachem? It is the only filter media other than the tetra filter cartridges at my closest lfs. I have to go an hour and half to 2 hours to get to a good lfs.

I saw some bryopsis on a piece of lr on the sand bed and got scared-it is gone now
 
I've never used phosguard, but I have used the Bulk Reef Supply brand of GFO (granular ferric oxide) to control phosphate/algae. I've heard good things about phosguard though. I usually just run carbon now.
 
Ok thanks, I'll probably get some phosguard tomorrow, and I may get to got to one of the good lfs Saturday but that depends on my parents schedule, I'm to young to drive
 
Quick update, the mantis and other stock is doing good, algae doesn't grow back after I pull it. I have some pics that I'll update when I get a chance. The mantis is quite entertaining and takes mysis well. Now for a question. I have the yellow tail damsel and want a second fish, preferably a dwarf angel. I really like flame, bicolor, and potters angelfish. My question is will these be able to deal with the yellow tail damsel or should I a.) get rid of the damsel for the angel or b.) get a acclimation box and put damsel in it for a few days and let the Angel get used to its surroundings and then let the damsel back in the main tank
 
Yeah I've got a mantis, I just have to upload pictures from my came to here. I should be able to later. What kind of mantis do you want and what tank do you have?
 
I have a aqua nano 60, 100litres tank,

I only want the tank for the mantis really, it will be based around him or her,

I want a peacock mantis but I'm very doubtful I can get 1 in the uk. 1 of the leading fish stores here have just said on phone they can order me 1, but I'm sceptical, but to be fair I'd have any I like them all, this was my last 1
3b780c8cd558fa8c84fc772a19dbef33.png


It was perfect in a tank full off other stuff never harmed a thing protected his rock from hermits but he used to punch them then hide lol.

My tank ready for 1
54e8fd3f162057db3d1c0670e16822ff.jpg



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
That's a nice looking mantis and a good looking setup, a lot cleaner than mine. I currently have every algae out there except bubble algae. I would suggest kpaquatics but you are in the uk so that won't work. Once you get a mantis you should make a build thread.
 
I will do mate I really want a peacock. If u can up load some pics be great, how do people like them there the most fascinating invert Iv seen rather watch them then fish all day long


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Mine used to hit my finger sometime when I was cleaning and it used to make me jump, u could hear him all night, punching rock or my fingers when cleaning [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Very nice, what fish did you have with it? I am thinking of getting a dwarf angel but don't want the mantis or angel to get hurt by the other or the damsel to hurt the angel
 
I had 2 clowns, damsel, shrimps, gobys, wrass, all sorts. Corals, mine was perfect with them all, even hermis


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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