Any active and exciting spearers?

[Mantisse]

Hi, my first post on Reef Central.

I've been reading up on mantis shrimps, thinking of one for my first saltwater tank. I don't have the cash for an acryllic tank, so I'm going to have to get a glass one.

I'd rather have a large mantis, so smashers are out, though I wish I could have a peacock - I don't want to take the chance of them breaking the glass.

The spearers that I've been reading about, such as Lysiosquilla maculata, seem to be pretty boring. I'd rather not have a mantis that sat in its burrow all day.

Are there any active and exciting spearers?


Thanks.

 

[mantisshrimp]

Do a search on Pseudosquilla ciliata.

 

[Gonodactylus]

Pseudosquilla ciliata is the largest diurnal spearing stomatopod you are going to find. Fortunately, it is also one of the easiest to obtatin. They dig a lot, but they are interesting to keep.

There really isn't any reason not to have an Odontodactylus scyllarus if that is what you want. You don't need an acrylic tank. A good, sturdy 20 gal. or more glass tank will stand up to all but the very largest peacocks. I've kept literally hundreds of O. scyllarus over the years and have lost ontly two aquaria. In both cases this was to very large (6 inch +) individuals. If you buy an animal that is three or four inches long, there is almost no chance that it will break a tank.

Roy