Lighting for mantis tank

[supateddy]

My wife and I are currently putting together a new setup for our mantis. (Best guess, Neogonodactylus oerstedii. The meral spot is almost a watermelon color with a white ring, and developing a darker spot.)

My question is, I know that some species are prone to shell disease, and I thought I read that bright lighting could accelerate the problem. We would like to keep corals in the 29 gallon tank with the mantis (softies and possibly LPS), would 250W metal halide be too much light?

Any opinions or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Scott

 

[yukyuklee]

250W on a 29g tank.. prepare for the evaporation
Also not sure but I heard too much light for a Mantis causes shell diseases? Or is that for Peacocks only?

 

[supateddy]

The tank was going to have an ATO to compensate for the evaporation. I think we may tone it down to a 150W halide bulb. That would put us around 5W of light per gallon. Since we don't plan on keeping SPS, I think that would be sufficient.

I just don't want to have too much light and put the mantis in danger of shell disease.

 

[psychodave]

if you dont plan on keeping any sps in the tank why not go with a T5 set up? Less heat, cheaper fixture. A halide on a 29g sounds like trouble to me, but thats just me...I could be totally wrong. I have a 36in coralife lunar aqualight on my 30g and my softies (Ricordia, zoas, mushrooms and leathers) are doing just fine. Infact My rics are constantly splitting....

 

[kookerson]

From what I have read, metal halides are too much........some even say that too many T5 could be a problem. However, I thought that Peacocks were pretty much the only ones that have to worry about shell disease?.........maybe Dr. Roy will chime in?

 

[psychodave]

All mantis are susceptible to shell disease from my understanding. My G. Chiragra had a mild case of it and I know the L. Maculata can get it as well...

 

[supateddy]

Thanks for the input. Sounds like we will probably just stick with a T5 fixture for the tank.

Scott