Couple Mantis Shrimp Questions

[tygger]

Just wondering how many mantis shrimp could be kept in a single tank. I dont know anything about mantis shrimps and just tyring to figure out if they are peaceful towards each other?

If I get them as hitchhikers, I'll probably put them in a 10g tank. Would a 5g tank be too small?

Also, what do you feed them?

 

[sdm]

1) not unless it's a VERY large tank.
2) not unless it's a G.chigira, O.scyllarus, or one of those other big types.
3) I feed mine frozen (vitamin enriched, of course) brineshrimp, and whatever hermit/snail he takes down. When he get's larger, I'm going to feed him either raw shrimp, freeze-dried krill, snails, hermits, or a mix of them.

 

[sdm]

Whoops, in #1 I mean no more than 1.

 

[tygger]

Thanks! Would a 5g tank be too small for one mantis?

 

[sdm]

As I said before: not unless it is a large species. many people have 'em in 2.5 gallon tanks. I prefer larger tanks, as they provide more room to decorate and a more stable environment. But that's just me.

 

[Ms. K]

I keep my G. ternatensis (?) in a 10 gallon. I couldn't fathom keeping him in anything smaller, though I'm sure he'd be ok. I like for him to have room to swim, play, and explore. Plus, I can keep a watch on water parameters fairly well.

 

[tygger]

Are they hardy critters? Thanks everyone!

 

[Uriel]

They are very hadry creatures, although susceptible to some agents (don't wax the floor near their tanks).

My G. Viridis is about 2" long, and he lives in a rather crowded 6 gallon tank along with some small hermits, a mithrax crab and a quickly depleting snail population (I bought hm a dozen 2 days ago, and he is on his 3rd...he must have heard that it's Thanksgiving time!).

I plan on moving him into a chamber on my Mantis Hotel (divided 4 section 54 gallon) soon. He seems to to be ok in the 6 gallon, but this species doesn't get bigger than 2 and a half inches or so. His new digs will be 8-10 gallons.


As for two mantis in one tank...I think that the little dark form that I briefly saw shoot out of a piece of LR was a little baby mantis.




I just popped him into the tank, as he is only about a half inch long (it may not be a Mantis, but it sure looked like one in the brief few seconds before it shot back into the LR...).
I doubt that the Baron von Munchausen (G. Viridis) will bother him much, since he is busy smashing snails and the new LR is across the tank.


-Ron

 

[tygger]

Glad to hear that they are hardy.

If I put one in my fuge, would it eat my pods? Also, do they eat dry food?

Thanks