is this a good start?

[Jovreefer]

I'm thinking about setting up a little tank at work for a mantis.

Here is what I'm thinking ...
It will have to be a small mantis because of tank size constraints. I'm thinking of either setup A or setup B with 4 inch sand bed & 4-5 3-4 inch live rocks & lots of rubble in a larger or smaller grain sand size?

Setup A
5.5 gallon glass tank
13W clip on 50/50 PC bulb (for macro & a few shrooms/zoa's)
visi therm steath heater 25W
one of those little palm filters to keep the water polished.

Pro's- I like the more open look & the light would be better to the eyes & for a few softies
Cons- its a shallower tank & the top is open

Setup B
6 gallon eclipse tank
visi therm steath eater 25W

Pros- Closed top so mantis does not jump out, has more height, built in filter
cons- light not that great, I dont see where it offers a 50/50 bulb..gotta research...

Due to the size of the tank what I'm reading is there is very few mantis I can keep.
G Smithii (if I can find one)
G. Viridis
& N. Wennerae
Are my choices in order of preferance

Could I keep a
O. Latirostris, Havanensis or G. Glabrous in this tank? I really like these too!

 

[Jovreefer]

53 views and not even a "sounds good" or "I dont like XXX"

Ok...how about this question...

the 5.5 gallon would be glass & the 6 would be acrylic... does glass or acrylic really matter with the smaller mantis types like what I want?

 

[yankeereefer]

I'll bite -
I like system A - Use egg crate to keep mantis from jumping out

You can probably get a standard screw in fluorescent hood for the 5g and look for a coralife 20w 50/50 - You might be able to even modify the hood for a 2nd bulb.

Sandbed doesn't have to be that deep, maybe only 2 or 2.5"

Either setup would likely work for most of the mantis species (if not all that you mention) - I speak only from the experience of owning both a smithii and wenn in a 5.5g

 

[Jovreefer]

Thank you for the response