mantis help?

[Toopato]

I'm going to start a mantis shrimp tank i had a few questions
i plan on getting a peacock mantis and a dwarf lionfish

and i was wondering how big of tank (i want to get a long)

and what should i do for clean up crew

and can i have coral and or anemones

 

[MantisO_o]

Peacocks are reef safe...meaning all the corals and anemones are fine but all Inverts would be dinner but it depends on the temperament of your mantis whether it get along with fish. As far as tanks...get 20 long or 30 Long but 20 long is good. i have mine, two peacocks [4+ inches each] in 20 regs. so yeah.

 

[Toopato]

yeah i was thinking a 30 long, but just cus it seems harder to find 20 longs im not sure why. and are mantids less agressive when they are younger

and i still dont know what to do for clean up crew

annnd how much live rock should i get for a 30?

 

[kookerson]

As far as a clean up crew, from what Ive read. It depends on whether you get a smasher or a spearer. Peacocks are smashers and if you get one thats anything like mine, it will smash through snails whether she is hungry or not.......however, she does leave my scooter blenny alone, for now. Spearers, I think, are more prone to leave your CUC alone, but you wont be able to keep any other fish.....HTH! : )

 

[MantisO_o]

4 me its harder to find a 30 long but 20 long is everywhere in my area. live work i put only enough for it to hide but not too much you never see it. i'd say LARGE turbo snails and starfish.

 

[MantisO_o]

live rock*

 

[Toopato]

sand sifting starfish?
and yeah peacock = smasher = dead turbo?
also scooter blennies, are they not practicly dragonettes?
soo wouldnt they just eat tiny tiny creatures?

 

[kdblove_99]

yep i kept anemone and clowns with my peacock

 

[Wildinside]

I have a peacock and a large turbo and they seem to be ok for now. I can tell the peacock wants to eat him but I keep him nice and fat and so far no incidences. I'm sure he takes a couple knocks at the shell and one day it will succumb to the mantis but for now hes about 4 inches and not strong enough for it (the mantis not the snail). I also have a sand sifting star, large hermit (has a large turbo snail shell on) and a sargasm fish all coexisting. lots of little fish too (some rock hoppers) that help by cleaning up the scraps of food from the messy mantis but they are mostly sargasm fish food. Hope that helps

 

[Wildinside]

oh yeah I have an anemone and a large green muscle in there too. he leaves them alone

 

[ck1]

no one seems to have addressed that you want to have a dwarf lion fish in with your mantis.

Some/most mantis will kill and eat fish- it may take awhile and they may have to be hungry to be motivated enough to hunt- but it eventually happens.
So no fish with your mantis- unless you do not mind if they are "mantis chow".

 

[Toopato]

i heard that the lionfish will actualy eat the mantis

 

[MantisO_o]

well... lionfish tries to eat ANY thing that it can fit in to his or her mouth.

 

[Toopato]

arnt they very very agressive hunters in the wild