How do you work on the tank?

[Carinya]

Well, I just got one yesterday and he (it) is in temporary housing with some about-to-be-unlucky stomatella & ghost shrimp. I'd been wanting one for quite some time and when I called the LFS just to see if by chance they ever got any on their LR and could I put in a standing order for a hitchiker, just so happened they had one RIGHT then. So I took it as a sign & picked it up. Set up a 3g eclipse with rock, rubble, sand, coral substrate from my reef & we're off. I am planning/designing a custom acrylic tank for the mantis and zoos. I'm so psyched.

However, during my years of wanting one, I didn't really consider the practical question of how one would do tank maintenance on a mantis tank. I am fairly scared of getting smashed & bashed but the glass will need to be cleaned from time to time. When I get the full setup running, I'll want to add the zoos. How do you all accomplish this?

Separately, I am pretty sure this is a N Wennerae due to size, green coloring, smashers, but I could use a definitive answer. Took pics but I don't think they're very good. What site could I use to ID him? Is the lurker's guide the best place?

Thanks in advance & I'm so excited to be joining your ranks.

Carinya

Edit: I mean the acrylic will need to be cleaned from time to time, not the glass.

 

[Uriel]

Hey there,

I have six of them, and it is a constant battle to clean the tanks in 3 of mine (The oldest, most established ones...). I have been using a magnetic cleaner, which is pretty good at loosening the algae, and what it doesn't get, I scrape off with a bamboo BBQ skewer with the end dulled. It hasn't scratched the tanks yet, and it is pretty good at knocking off little chunks of algae.I let those 3 tanks go a little too long, thinkng that a green tank-back was good, since it cut dwn on the reflections,which my mantis struck at...

I have introduced a couple of HUGE turbo snails to two of my tanks, these guys dwarf the mantis with which they cohabitate. The one in with my G. Platysoma has some scrape spots on it's shell from whacks, but seems to be OK.

So, something to scrape lightly, bigger snails and a mag-cleaner is my routine.

As far as identifying, LGS is good, but Dr. Roy is a regular on this forum (Gonodactylus), and he is the best source of positive IDs.

get a good picture of the meral spots on the arms, and the telson and he can ID your little monster for you.

-Ron

 

[Safierdrgn]

I haven't had any luck with turbo snails...all of mine just keeled over and died. I ended up getting margarita snails and they are wonderful at keeping any and all algae cleaned from the tank. They eat non-stop, can right themselves(seems like they're smart enough not to fall in the first place) and they're big if not bigger than turbos so my mantis leaves them alone. I have one in my 5 gallon mantis tank and he keeps it free of all algae.

 

[Jacob D]

When I need to (not often) I'll put my hand in with caution - and only because my mantis has never showed any interest in popping me. I look for her first and slowly do what I need to do avoiding her location. The other day I needed to re arrange the rocks a little and she just came out and went into the corner to watch from behind the heater.

A couple of times she has started to swim around while I'm in there, needless to say I get my hands out pretty quick, just in case.

If you have an aggressive or very defensive mantis I wouldn't go in there at all. Use some tongs to move things, and keep up on your glass cleaning so you don't need to get in there. There's not really many other reasons to get in the tank.

 

[angryfly]

a bamboo BBQ skewer with the end dulled.

Hahaha I use the same thing. Those skewers really are handy for tank work

 

[Carinya]

Thanks everyone.

 

[Oddest1]

a toothbrush also comes in handy sometimes