Help me pick my mantis

S

Stork141

Member
Hey guys so I need some help. So I'm setting my mantis tank back up and could use some help on picking what mantis I should house.
Tank specs:
40g breeder drop off tank
20g sump
Asm mini skimmer
Wp25 power head
2x165w LEDs

So about the tank. The tank was used for my peacock that was 6+". I built a drop off to the tank with a L shaped tunnel that goes through the drop off portion. The tunnel is 2" wide that's 9" long. Looks like a ant farm. I built a door on it so when closed it black but you can open and see what's going on.
Really enjoyed my peacock but she wouldn't let any snails or hermits live so keeping the tank clean was a bit of a pain. I was able to keep some damsels in the tank for some movement.
Tank will be stocked with mainly sps corals with a couple lps.
So my question is what would work well in this tank. Loved watching my peacock smash anything added to the tank but due to her size she was able to tank down even the biggest turbos I could find.

My Lfs had a amazing looking all red smasher mantis about 4" but was about 1/2-3/4" thick so not sure if it would like such a large burrow that my peacock loved.
Do I go with a spearer to let the cuc do its thing or do I stay with a smasher to have some fish. Also what would like to use such a large burrow?
Any help would and will be appreciated.
 
Would a small mantis use such a large burrow? Seems like they would feel uncomfortable in a borrow that is so big. If anyone has any info on that id be very interested in going with a smaller mantis
 
20160229_161856.jpg
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This is what it looks like
 
That's an interesting set-up and since you've already had a Peacock I would recommend getting another one since the burrow is large and custom made for a Peacock. Most other species will use PVC if they have to but only Peacocks and larger spearer mantis shrimp really need it in the home aquarium.
 
Ya my 1st peacock ended up getting stuck in its molt and died sadly. I had no idea until a couple days later when I started breaking down his cave to see if everything was ok. I then built this as a way to always be able to see if everything is ok when they fully enclose their burrow for molts.

Do you have any good ideas for what to use as a cuc with the bigger guys. I really like the all red smasher at the Lfs but just think that the burrow is way too big for it.
 
In my experience, the larger snails were usually left alone. It depends on the individual mantis really. You'll want to be prepared to make do without a CUC of course. There are some ways to address matters of tank cleanliness without a CUC, but it is part of the game with a mantis! My Peacock just started killing the bigger snails that i had so I have to go get some more myself. I also have success with small hermit crabs (blue legs) but they aren't as effective at cleaning the tank as snails in my opinion.
 
Ya I tried all kinds of stuff with my last one. She must have just been a mean sob haha. So the best idea would be to go with another peacock?
 
I think so, but get what you want. You can make another mantis work in that set-up but it does seem more ideally suited for a Peacock.
 
That is a very interesting burrow design. How big is that exactly? It looks horizontally short for a Peacock (O. scyllarus).

Is there anyway for water circulation so it doesn't become a stagnant ammonia trap?
 
I'm surprised no one has mentioned (although I only skimmed it all briefly).

That it's not always a "choice" of picking and choosing but more so of capitalizing on situations where certain desired specimens pop up for sale.

Having said the above I am not aware of your stock availability but I go with what I first stated, grab what you want as it appears.

Example: I still have a prepaid order with a reputable aquarium for a mated pair of L.maculata...since 2006.
 
BlueZoo has two not-yet full grown Peacocks in right now if you don't mind paying top dollar. One is less than 3.5" and I highly recommend starting with a younger specimen if you can.
 
Calappidae- Yes there is a 1/2" hole that is right next to the opening where i run a pipe from my return pump. This way there is always flow moving from the top down through the burrow. Vertically its 6" and horizontally its 12".

Kharn- you are very correct. I have my lfs on the hunt for peacocks but was just curious if i could do another mantis in this burrow. I wish i could have gotten a pic of that red guy so you guys could have identified it for me. Great coloration to it.
Kharn would you have any ideas on what else would work in this tank?
Nmotz- my lfs gets in a pretty good selection of mantis and or the owner always lets us know when they pop up on his order list which is really nice.
 
From what I've been reading peacocks are some of the best larger mantis species that do well in a heavily lit sps reef. Anyone know any other species that would work well in a sps reef. Tank will be lit with 400watts of LEDs to give you any idea.
 
Stork141 said:
From what I've been reading peacocks are some of the best larger mantis species that do well in a heavily lit sps reef.
Click to expand...

Very opposite, O. scyllarus are best suited for dimly lit aquariums as high ammounts of lighting can help contribute to shell rot growth. They can live in these conditions like any other stomatopod, but out of all of them O.scyllarus suffers the biggest negative impact.
 
Calappidae said:
Very opposite, O. scyllarus are best suited for dimly lit aquariums as high ammounts of lighting can help contribute to shell rot growth. They can live in these conditions like any other stomatopod, but out of all of them O.scyllarus suffers the biggest negative impact.
Click to expand...

+1, lighting is less intense at the depths that O. Scyllarus call home. Brightly lit SPS tanks are possible, but more difficult
 
Must have been reading that wrong the whole time. Any species that would do well in a heavily lit tank and would work in with my system? With my last peacock I had a mixed reef and only about 250 watts of light on it.
 
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