Advice 4 1st timer large Spear Mantis?

[MantisO_o]

Can someone please give me any advice or noes or don'ts with large spear mantis shrimps. I have always had Smashers but 1st time kinda with spears. So anything suggestion thoughts info would be greatly appreshated. Thanks!

 

[Guygettnby]

make sure to have a very deep sand bed and stock up on silver sides. mine used to love them. he also used to love hunting ghost shrimp for some reason.

 

[MantisO_o]

Mine is having issues digging up a hole his 4.5 and the sand bed is 8. frozen sliver sides are okay? i feed mine chop table shrimp or tried to anyways. is that fine?

 

[Guygettnby]

silver sides are ok, mine used to love them. i never tried chopped table shrimp, but i am sure thats fine too. try feeding him live too.. every once i a while i would get a small damsel for him too munch on as a treat.

 

[MantisO_o]

Would it be okay to put a few damsels or would he just trying eating or killing them all?

 

[Guygettnby]

he is a pretty big spearer so i cant guarentee the saftey of the damsels....lol... but they are cheap enough too were you can add them for some extra color to the tank and if they die just consider as if you bought your new friend a T-Bone steak for dinner!

 

[MantisO_o]

I got too many tanks and yet not enough space...lol Will find a space for the feeders. May even put it in a plastic tub like were i put my fiddlers. thanks!

 

[Guygettnby]

lol, i have too many tanks.... i just bought a 24g aquapod with MH tonight. paid $150 and got a bunch of corals and live stock. so this would make 6 tanks for me!

 

[MantisO_o]

LOL I want to try those cubes but wasn't sure if they were all what the are made out to be. I have. I have Nine tanks now and trying to down size big time. might just get the cube tanks. What brands do your like best?

 

[Guygettnby]

i have a 12g and 24g aquapod as of right now, so i havent tried the bio cube or any others yet. i do have a 2g custom acrylic nano tank that i made, but i really want the new current all glass tank. i fell in love with that tank about 2 months ago as soon as i saw it.

but all in all i like my aquapods so far. both are getting decent coraline alggea growth and stay pretty clean. the 24g has a prizm skimmer and an aqua clear refugium for filtration, while the 12g is using a current fission skimmer and the stock filters. minues the cermic media it gives you....i heard it creates nitrate problems so i removed it.

 

[MantisO_o]

ahhhh interesting. may try the aquapods or whatever cheaper...lol

 

[Guygettnby]

well from what i have seen the aquapods are the cheapest so far and they do fine for what i use them for. only thing is dont expect to just by the tank and leave it stock...lol...

 

[MantisO_o]

lol