fish in your mantis tank?

[catdoc]

I know this topic has been here before, but the search function doesn't seem to be working for me tonight. I have a 4" to 5" peacock mantis in a 29 gal Eclipse tank (12"W x 30"L x 18"H ). I'd like to add a fish or two, if they won't become a meal or upset the mantis. I thought maybe a damsel and/or lionfish??

 

[Uriel]

Lionfish would be bad news...they eat smaller mantis shrimp. The peacock might kill it, as well. Damsels, cardinals an clowns are the fish that I have heard so far, as far as living with mantis (Peacocks mostly).
Stay away from fish that may get nosy, or ones that stay in the rocks all of the time (Gobies...).

-Ron

 

[pisces77]

Let me start by saying that there are no guarantees for anything, and a 5" mantis will likely be more aggressive in a smaller space. However I will list the tanks and occupants that I have had, as I have had some success with fish in mantis tanks. These either were or are over a length of time, not just a week or so.

20g-

4" G.ternatensis
3" Sixline wrasse
Juvinle Dwarf Lion
3" false percula
RBTA
Purple linkia star


55g-

5" peacock Mantis
4 " dwarf lion


15g-

3" platysoma
2" benggai cardinalfish
3" firefish

 

[dragonforce]

I dropped a gold fish in my 6g with my peacock and he smashed the crap out of it in about a half second after it hit the water.

 

[catdoc]

I'd be P.O.'ed too, in a 6gal!

 

[dragonforce]

Hes a smaller peacock at 4 inches

 

[rwhhunt]

thats still a good sized peacock, mine was at first a little over 4" and has grown to about 5.5 in the past year (5 molts). I also think that the hard-breathing goldfish are dinner, while a big healthy clown is not...

 

[Absint Reefer]

My Gondalactos (sp) destroys everything I put in there even my hand very aggressive little guy

 

[catdoc]

Update: I ended up getting a damselfish to add. I've seen different names for this one (was sold to me as a blue devil) but it's the black damsel with 2 neon blue streaks and a white streak. Liveaquaria sells them as blue velvet damselfish (Paraglyphidodon oxyodon).

Anyway, the mantis hid for a couple of days but now is back out again. The fish is very lively and my cat has rediscovered his interest in fish-watching! The fish and mantis so far seem totally indifferent to one another. I'll let you know if that changes.

It was funny when I went to the LFS to get the damsel. The salesperson couldn't figure out why I got interested in the peacock in the first place but she keeps several tanks of lionfish herself.

 

[JohnnyMantis]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6446424#post6446424 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by catdoc
Update: I ended up getting a damselfish to add. I've seen different names for this one (was sold to me as a blue devil) but it's the black damsel with 2 neon blue streaks and a white streak. Liveaquaria sells them as blue velvet damselfish (Paraglyphidodon oxyodon).

It will turn large and black with and attitude to match. I know of one that is aggresive towards some very large eels.

 

[gsrracer]

very interesting!..!

 

[Thurge]

Catdoc, GL with that one. I had a Neon Velvet Damsel kill a Panter Grouper that was better than 2x its size. They also get rather large; my fav. LFS has one the size of your hand for $2.

They are like a damsel shaped Dottyback.

 

[catdoc]

So...too mean to be in with a peacock? It's just the two of them in the tank.

 

[Thurge]

Tha depends on the size of your Damsel. They are pretty tame as young, but as they get bigger (loosing the blue and simetimes the white) they become more pugnatious.