Got a mantis for xmas.

[dragonforce]

I really can't stand when someone buys you a present, and it ends up costing you more money to "fix" it and then ends up being a total waste as opposed to doing it yourself, the right way, the first time.

So my mother got a 6 gallon nano cube, with a 1 1/2 inch sand bed and 2 peice of LR. The Mantis is about 5 inches long or so.

Oh and there was a glass heater inside the display when I got it.

I seriously doubt a 6 gal nano cube is large enough for a Mantis shrimp. I also think they need a deeper sand bed.

Can anyone help me out here, I am guessing I will need a larger tank and I really can't afford to buy one right now. I was thinking I could return the mantis, and maybe find a smaller variety more suited for a 6g.

 

[1SickReefer]

Dragonforce,

<img src="/images/welcome.gif"><b><i><big><big>To Reef Central</b></i></big></big>

Here is bump to the top, I have 0 exp with mantis. GL but 6g sounds kinda small for a 5" specimen. I could be way wrong though, lets wait for some more exp folks to chime in.

GL and welcome

 

[rwhhunt]

I would say that a 6 gal is cramped for a 5 inch mantis, I am presuming it is probably a peacock mantis, being popular, common, and about 5 inchs in the trade. If you could trade in the 6, you can find a 10-15 gall set up for about $100-150 depending on where you go, It would be EASIER to find a litle bit larger tank than find another mantis.... usually... You may be able to get a small 2in wennerea from TBS saltwater in tampa for $50 shipped. Otherwise, I would recommend keeping the larger mantis, it would be cooler to Have, (I like my peacock more than my wennerea, more sociable and can beat up crayfish, while the lil' one definatly can't!) walmart has a 10 gal set up, for about $50, but that might be too thin of glas for a peacock, and you'd have to put a new filter on there-that walmart filters SUCKS... The Deep sand beds are nice, and should help prevent him cracking the bottom of the tank trying to dig. I would recommend adding a nice PVC pipe for a burrow and burying it in 2-4 inches of sand. along with some LR, and a decent filter, you should be in business for the Coolest Pet EVER! Post us some pics when you get a chance!

 

[dragonforce]

Hmm, maybe I could get a 12 gal nano cube for 100 bucks and then put the peacock in there and get a wennerea for the 6 gal.

I got a much better look at my friend today, she is closer to 4 inches from th eyes to the end of the tail.

Oh and I got her a gold fish, right when it hit the water she beat the hell out of it.

 

[egdevilboy]

i got a wennerea if you want it. I got it from work so its free to a good home.

 

[New2This]

I was always told its the thought that counts behind a gift. If your mother bought you a mantis thats one $#c&ing cool woman my friend. She probely didnt know what the hell she was doing but though it would be really nice.

Hope you you told her that you atleast love her

 

[dragonforce]

Oh most definatly, I can't complain about a gift, I was completely blown away. After I found this forum several hours later, the reality set in, however. Ill be you 200 bucks some "know it all" at the local fish store said it will be perfectly fine in a 6 gal tank.

My mom is probably the best mom in the world, we go diving to hawaii and cayman islands and are really into the whole aquatic thing. I have a 37 SPS reef in my room with halide lighting and she has a 24g nano cube with softies.

 

[Gonodactylus]

Your biggest problem is not the size of the tank, but the fact that it is not run in. A six gallon system that is well cycled can easily handle a 4 inch stomatopod. A couple of points:

1. A 4 inch animal will not break the glass.

2. Particularly in a new system I would not recommend a deep sand bed. In our research aquaria (2-3 gal) we use no more than an inch of sand and another inch or so of large gravel, shell, and small pieces (marble to golfball size) LR. This gets mixed together and forms a "natural" substrate that the animal can use to close its cavity.

3. Provide the animal with a cavity. At 4 inches, I will assume it is not an O. scyllarus, but some gonodactylid. A piece of pvc 1" ID and about 6" long will work well. If you want a more natural look, scout out LR until you find a piece that has a natural cavity or at least deep depression the size of an orange. The stomatopod may be able to use shells and gravel to form its own cavity.

4. Since you don't have time to cycle the tank, be particularly careful not to overfeed and remove within a few hours any food that is not eaten. Also, watch for the animal burying surplus food. A four inch animal will eat a piece of food about the size of a pea every other day. (It will probably eat more, but you risk an ammonia spike if you feed more and it would probably be better if the animal did not molt right away, so a spartan diet is preferred. A side benefit to holding back on the food is that the animal will become more interactive.

5. Say thanks to your mother for trying to buy you something you wanted!

Roy

 

[dragonforce]

Actually, my mom rocks, she cycled the tank for about 5 weeks and used fully cured rock and live sand.

Chances are there was no cycle at all.

Also, it is definatly an O. scyllarus.

 

[rwhhunt]

mine peacock just decided after her last molt that the 2.5 inch PVC pipe burrow wasnt big enough for her so she moved upstairs but stacking a couple pounds of LR fortifying her above ground shelter.
Here is her last entrance before her molt:

Here is her reconfiguring the burrow for the above ground shelter

Here is the corner that was completely open, then filled in with all the rubble she could find in the tank.

It took about 2- 3days to get just right-If she could see me through a gap, she would grab a rock iand fill it in!

 

[rwhhunt]

BTW, she has taken down half of the wall so she can interact through the glass

 

[dragonforce]

Right now my mantis has taken up home between 2 large peices of LR I leaned up against eachother to form a TP. I then added some LR rubble and dead snail shells so the mantis could make doorways.


Are there any easy ways to tell if its a female or male?

 

[Gonodactylus]

Even juvenile males will have a pair of gonopods hanging down from the inside of the last pair of walking legs. They are about a third as long as the leg and are fairly easy to see. The gonopores of females on the ventral midline between the first pair of walking legs are harder to see and don't develop for several months after the female settles from the plankton. Sexually mature males have a display patch that is visible from across the room, but so far no one on this site has figured it out!

Roy