I want one!

[realmswalker]

after doing allot of research on mantis shrimp, i want one, these guys are amazing.

Im looking to get the smasher variety, 4-6 inches, very colorfull, what should i get?

Im going to put him in a 6 gallon eclipse system with whatever you guys recommend to put in the tank with him, so any and all suggestions and comments are welcome. thank

Adam

 

[DreamScape]

looks like you already know you want a peacock lol.
good things to put in: lots of live rock, shrooms, macroalgae ,lotsa snails

 

[jsronce]

Others on this forum have recommended at least 10 gallons for a peacock, unless it's hooked up to a bigger tank's system. I keep mine in a 10 gallon and a 20 gallon, so I can't tell you if it's true that they have problems molting in small tanks due to the water quality. (Mine haven't molted yet, either.) But it's something you may want to look into.

Personally, I'd go with a bigger tank for a large mantis anyway, so they have more space. The girl I have in a 10 gallon has done major excavations and moved things around, and takes up every square inch of the tank with her "burrow". In the 20, my bigger girl (about 6") has room to wander around, and often climbs the rocks to observe her territory.

I've checked out the pet stores here in Seattle, and one of them sells a brand of acrylic tanks called "SeaClear" for very competitive prices. For $65 I can get a 10 gallon tank, while 6 gallon Eclipses usually run $69. You don't get the dinky little BioWheel with it, but you have much more versatility. for example, it's awful hard to fit a hang-on-tank filter on an Eclipse 6.

Just things to think about.

Jennifer

 

[realmswalker]

12 gallon eclipse

12 gallon eclipse

i found a 12 gallon eclipse setup for 89, with the hood and everything, acylic also, would this be suitable?

 

[jsronce]

I would think that would work. My main concern was that a 6 would be too restrictive.

Be sure to give her alot of sand to dig in, and some LR. I bought some base rock caves to stack the LR on (securely, you don't want to squish her). Some people bury PVC tubes in the sand for pre-made burrows. Anyway, the mantis will rearrange everything in the tank to her liking, and you'll just have to live with it.

Jennifer

 

[orkspace]

I have lost two O. scyllarus (peacocks) in 6g eclipse systems. I'm not going to try another O. scyllarus in anything smaller than 20g.

 

[SEASEID]

would a 20aga hex work for a peacock?
thnaks
mike