6" Mantis in 5 gallon tank

[smokewagon]

I wanted some feedback on how a 6" mantis should fair in a 5 gallon tank? A semi-local fishtore is holding what I believe to be an N. Wennerae for me, that I plan to pick up this friday. I have a good 5 gallon set-up with lots of rubble and some hiding places, but had originally intended to find a shrimp in the 2-2.5" range.
Are these shrimp really in much need of a lot of space or room to roam? Curious if I can expect any issues by tyring to keep in the 5 gallon for a while or if I already need to look at upgrading.
Appreciate any feedback the board can offer.

 

[Hwarang]

IMO, a 6" stomatopod is kinda large for a 5g aquarium.

However, I don't think N. Wennerae gets that large. You'll want to check the species again, and if it is N. Wennerae at the store, then it's not going to get a whole lot bigger.

In which case, a 5g would be plenty of aquarium for it to handle.

 

[Gonodactylus]

If it is really six inches long and a smasher, there are very few species that this animal could be. Below is a list of smashers that get to at least 6" total length (measured from tip of the telson to the tip of the eyes) with a rough guide to maximum size:

Odontodactylus scyllarus (7")
Odontodactylus japonicus (7")
Hemisquilla californiensis (11")
Hemisquilla australiensis (7")
Hemisquilla ensigera (7")

Aside from Hemisquilla braziliensis, the next largest smasher I can think of was a Gonodactylaceus ternatensis that I measured at just under 5 inches (124 mm). THe next largest species is Gonodactylus chiragra, the largest recorded individual being right at 4 inches (104 mm). All other smashers are under 3.5 inches in total length. Just like the fisherman describing the one that got away, aquarists almost always report the size of their stomatopod as being bigger than it really is! (To be fair, sometimes the antennules are included in the total length.)

Roy

 

[Dolfan0925]

IMO upgrade. it might not be done growing. I wouldn't go smaller than 10g for anything 6" long.

 

[milhouse74]

My biggest problem with a smasher that size in a tank that small would be the glass being so thin. The glass in a 10 gallon is noticibly thicker.

Dont want s smasher on the carpet ya know.

 

[Hwarang]

I don't think a 2-3" smasher really poses all that much of a threat to the aquarium glass...

 

[majestic sea life]

a N.wenn is safe in a 5.5 or 10gal its what u want it in like Hwarang had or has one still in a 2.5 hey hwarang did u get the 5.5 yet

 

[milhouse74]

I don't think a 2-3" smasher really poses all that much of a threat to the aquarium glass...

Um, ok, but how about the 6" which was the one in question.

 

[smokewagon]

Thanks for response

Thanks for response

Appreciate the feedback. I received some good information and I am definitely not going to be picking up this large shrimp. I plan to keep looking for something smaller like the N. Wennerae that will max out around 3" or so. If anyone is interested and in the Nashville area, aquatic critter should have a 6" peacock they say is absolutely beautiful, for sale.

 

[Dav]

Smokewagon ,
You got a number for aquatic critter? What did they price it?
6" needs a nice tank with still some risk.
Dav

 

[smokewagon]

Aquatic Critter

Aquatic Critter

Dav,

The number is 615-832-4541. They priced it at 35$ I believe. Said it was the biggest shrimp they had ever gotten in and that it was a magnificent looking animal, turning a lot of heads.

 

[Hwarang]

milhouse74, smokewagon had asked about a shrimp that the LFS is holding for him. They said it would get to be 6" but they also identified it as N. Wennerae, which does not get that long. So if you go back and actually read the posts you reply to, you'll find that smokewagon originally wanted something small but may have received a bit of misinformation from his LFS. Without knowing exactly what kind of Stomatopod the LFS has, I hedged that it would be a smaller one, because they're more common.
Neener neerer boo boo!

smokewagon - have you ID'd the shrimp yet?

majestic sea life - it's in the 5.5 and it rocks! I have some xenia, red shrooms, and various crustaceans in there for her to eat.

 

[smokewagon]

I'ding Shrimp

I'ding Shrimp

Hwarang,

I did look into it and confirmed the shrimp is over 6". After talking to Dr. Caldwell He felt pretty confident this would be an O. Scyllarus.

 

[Hwarang]

sweet. better keep it in a bigger tank then!

ps that last post by me was meant to be light hearted but it sounds b1tchy. i blame the limitations of plain text.