arent there any safe tankmates?
- Thread starter Aquanoob
- Start date
What kind of mantis shrimp? Large mantis, like peacocks, are apt to potentially sample or move around most things, which makes keeping coral and plants with them somewhat difficult. Fish are at risk in any mantis tank because a frightened mantis may strike out and injure the fish. Smaller mantids, as a general rule, seem uninclined to move corals or things attached to rocks that are the length of their body or more, thought there's still some risk they will bury a coral by accident. If you have a spearer, you can try some other crustaceans, though spearers are territorial and a soft-shelled crustacean may be at risk. Some people have had luck with slow-moving starfish. The mantis seem uninterested in them as prey items; I can attest to that as my n. wennera never bothered them. On the other hand there are reports of mantis going after and smashing the legs off of larger star fish. My mantis also didn't bother any of the coral I kept with her, with the exception of really tiny pieces she'd try to move around and use in burrow construction. Snails are generally a risky proposition with smashers because they'll have a repeated go at breaking them open, and may one day get strong enough to break the shells of even really big snails. Expect anything mobile in your tank other than the mantis to be a potential food item. Fish, crabs, crustaceans, snails, urchins, and feather dusters are all at risk of being "sampled" or attacked defensively. Mantis shrimp are generally uninterested in corals and will not bother them unless they're attached to something small enough to be hauled off and used in a burrow. In a tank equipped to deal with the waste of the mantis, where the lighting is good and the water quality is kept up, you can have a go at corals. Quite a few people have had success keeping corals and SMALL mantis shrimp.
There you have it. If you want lots of different kinds of stuff in your tank, other than corals and plants, mantis aren't the best choice.
There you have it. If you want lots of different kinds of stuff in your tank, other than corals and plants, mantis aren't the best choice.
My little G. Viridis has a few tankmates that he doesn't bother.
I have an emerald mithrax that I introduced to eat some hair algae (the little bas*^rd also ate my grape caulerpa, but ,oh well...).
He has been whacked a couple of times when he tried to steal the Mantis' food, but otherwise he is OK. Of course, he hides 90% of the time in the far back corner, only to rush out when the 'magic nori stick' comes calling, then he rtreats again.
The Baron (my Mantis) doesn't seem to like hermits much, only having eaten 3 or 4 in 3 months...he ate a few of the smaller ones, but otherwise. he ignores them.
Snails, on the other hand, are eaten pretty quick, except for the larest ones (he's a little mantis, at 2.5" or so, and not liely to grow much bigger...). he eats the smaller ones with relish (gusto, not a pickle condiment), and will tackle a bigger one occassionally.
I have a colony of pink star polyps on a piece of LR that measures about 4", he has never messed with them.
I have a small feather duster which he has also ignored.
I have a colony of red mushroom corals on a piece of LR tat is about 3" around (time to learn how to frag them, they are getting huge, and crowded...).
LOSSES
I added 2 green Chromis a while back in a 'can they live together' experiment (Yes, I am a newbie...). All went well for 3 or 4 days or so, he ignored them. Then, one fishie got curious abd ezplored that cool looking cave under the big LR Castle...he met a quick (well, he swam around a bit before he died, but it was horrible to watch) death. I returned the other to the LFS.
I had 3 Xenia polyps(stalks?) on a piece of LR. they have disappeared, though that could have been because of a small group of aptasia (too bad he doesn't hate aptasia, folks would love mantis then...) on the same rock. I am still figuring out what to do with them, as i love that rock and it is isolated from others (no spreading so far).
I also have a tiny pistol or mantis shrimp that hitchhicked in on that same piece of LR (I saw a blackish blur once, and hear him *pop* after the lights go out...). So far, he has evaded the Baron's wrath, though i am going to get him outta there if I can ever find him.
This is all in a little 6 gallon tank.
Hope that helped.
-Ron
I have an emerald mithrax that I introduced to eat some hair algae (the little bas*^rd also ate my grape caulerpa, but ,oh well...).
He has been whacked a couple of times when he tried to steal the Mantis' food, but otherwise he is OK. Of course, he hides 90% of the time in the far back corner, only to rush out when the 'magic nori stick' comes calling, then he rtreats again.
The Baron (my Mantis) doesn't seem to like hermits much, only having eaten 3 or 4 in 3 months...he ate a few of the smaller ones, but otherwise. he ignores them.
Snails, on the other hand, are eaten pretty quick, except for the larest ones (he's a little mantis, at 2.5" or so, and not liely to grow much bigger...). he eats the smaller ones with relish (gusto, not a pickle condiment), and will tackle a bigger one occassionally.
I have a colony of pink star polyps on a piece of LR that measures about 4", he has never messed with them.
I have a small feather duster which he has also ignored.
I have a colony of red mushroom corals on a piece of LR tat is about 3" around (time to learn how to frag them, they are getting huge, and crowded...).
LOSSES
I added 2 green Chromis a while back in a 'can they live together' experiment (Yes, I am a newbie...). All went well for 3 or 4 days or so, he ignored them. Then, one fishie got curious abd ezplored that cool looking cave under the big LR Castle...he met a quick (well, he swam around a bit before he died, but it was horrible to watch) death. I returned the other to the LFS.
I had 3 Xenia polyps(stalks?) on a piece of LR. they have disappeared, though that could have been because of a small group of aptasia (too bad he doesn't hate aptasia, folks would love mantis then...) on the same rock. I am still figuring out what to do with them, as i love that rock and it is isolated from others (no spreading so far).
I also have a tiny pistol or mantis shrimp that hitchhicked in on that same piece of LR (I saw a blackish blur once, and hear him *pop* after the lights go out...). So far, he has evaded the Baron's wrath, though i am going to get him outta there if I can ever find him.
This is all in a little 6 gallon tank.
Hope that helped.
-Ron
opihi
Premium Member
i've tried to find a tank mate for my mantis, and have not found anything that lasts.
My mantis' list of victims:
<li> One baby Fire Damsel
<li> Blue Legged Hermits
<li> Red Legged Hermits
<li> Illynassa obsoletta snails
<li> Strombus grazer snails
<li> "Janitor shrimp" -- salt water feeder shrimp
<li> Bali Sea Star
He's also popped a large emerald crab pretty hard. so much so that the crab refused to move for a couple days. i had to remove it because i felt so bad for it.
My mantis' list of victims:
<li> One baby Fire Damsel
<li> Blue Legged Hermits
<li> Red Legged Hermits
<li> Illynassa obsoletta snails
<li> Strombus grazer snails
<li> "Janitor shrimp" -- salt water feeder shrimp
<li> Bali Sea Star
He's also popped a large emerald crab pretty hard. so much so that the crab refused to move for a couple days. i had to remove it because i felt so bad for it.
Ken2001
New member
My Peacock has ignored a large atlantic urchin for the last two months. All other snails, hermits, other crabs, and a damsel, have been eaten. According to a recent post by Roy, urchins can become part of the diet of some mantids, particularly when they haven't eaten in a while.
StrongHandsMcGee
Member
I have a Banggai Cardinal in with my N. wennerae. No problems whatsoever.
NHReeftank
New member
I would assume nothing is safe. Basically just a game of chance.
mogurnda
not a bot
My wennerae has eaten all his snail friends except for 1 whelk. I wouldn't trust the guy with crustaceans or snails. Any coral on a rock or shell small enough to move also gets rearranged and suffers a bit.
What has worked so far (about 3 months):
*large lugworm
*5" hitchhiker brittle star (whacked it a few times, has since ignored it)
*microstars
*terebellid worms
*mushrooms
*anthelia
What has worked so far (about 3 months):
*large lugworm
*5" hitchhiker brittle star (whacked it a few times, has since ignored it)
*microstars
*terebellid worms
*mushrooms
*anthelia
