Mantis Cycle

[tyrel]

I was looking through "The lurkers guide to stomatopods" maintaince page and came across somthing that confused me.

Click the link and read paragraphs 3 and 4 to see what I'm talking about.

Should I take this as meaning that mantis shrimp can be hardy enough to cycle the tank on their own without preliminary cycling?
This article makes them sound like pretty cast iron critters, and is written by a very experienced person.

 

[Pea-brain]

It depends, I think. Some stomatopods are more delicate than others. They are definately tough creatures, and can survive the curing of live rock. However, they do much better when they are pampered, spoiled little brats that have us on our hands and knees spending tons of money and being their general slaves. Or so I've read. Hopefully someone more experienced than I can give you a better answer.

 

[miztic]

I wouldn't put any animal through a cycle on purpose, seems like an unneccesary shortcut to take..

 

[Gonodactylus]

There is a big difference between cycling a reef tank and holding a single stomatopod in a tank with some sand and a couple of pieces of sterile coral rubble. Many of our experimental gonodactylids are held in 2-10 gal tanks with only a thin sand and gravel bottom and a canister filter like a Fluval 204. There is no extra lighting and we are not trying to promote the growth of anything except the stomatopod. In these systems, a day or two afer I set one up, I add a 2-3 inch animal. With only occasional feeding, it provides a small, but steady input of ammonia. There is not enough nitrogen coming in to make the system "cycle", but graduately the bacteria will increase and handle even spikes of nitrogen. To speed things along, we often add a hand full of gravel from and established tank - either to the aquarium itself of to the canister.

Roy

 

[tyrel]

Thanks for the helpful reply Roy, it's very much appreciated.