Can you put more than 1 Mantis in the same tank??

[Dunkpv]

could you say put 2 peacock mantis about 2" in size in a 10 gallon tank together? Should they be male and female? Sorry about the n00b question but was wondering about how easily they breed and exist with each other. thanks.

 

[gholland]

At 2 inches, I think peacocks are still sexually immature and can't be distinguished. Not sure how big they have to be to make that determination though.

 

[Dunkpv]

so does that mean you can put two stomatopods together? or if you do they would have to definitly be 1 male and 1 female?

 

[gholland]

Seems like I just read about this somewhere... Other than a few species like L. maculata, which live in monogamous pairs, I think coupling only lasts for a relatively short period. Two mantis confined in such a small space would probably result in just one mantis as soon as one of them molted.

 

[Pea-brain]

I believe it would be one before the molt even. All common mantises with the exception of monogamous spearers are highly territorial. About a 50-75 gallon tank could hold a couple of N. wennerae (only about 3" tops) safely, so I think you get the idea. Besides peacocks don't become sexually mature until after 3" and any coupling would be for a short while (couple of weeks). The larvae of most stomatopods are incredibly difficult to raise, doubly so with Odontodactylids, many of which have a 4 month+ planktonic state. Also mantises have good memory and could only mate with the same mantis mayube 1-2 times a year. They are reluctant to mate with the same one more than once-at least thats what I've read from Dr. Roy, but that may not be completely right

Dan

 

[Guygettnby]

i had 2 N. wennerae housed in a 5.5g tanks for about 6 months and had no problems with it until the female hatched some eggs then everything went wrong after that. they were both about 2in long and came from the same LFS. these 2 were te only mantis they had in the same tank and they lived in little caves right next to each other.

a peacock on the other hand.....i would never attempt putting 2 of those together in a tank any smaller then like 100g and a 5g tank is way too small to even attempt that.

BTW... 1 thing i know for sure is it is very unusual to get 2 mantis to live together. i have had luck with this thus far. but i dont think it is really worth the heartache/headache for me to attempt again. not to mention the lose of money.