mantis/nano reef?

[EzRida206]

Hey all. I am looking to start a new tank pretty soon, and I was torn between a mantis tank or a nano reef dedicated to just Zoos. I've done some searches here and it seems some people have mantis' in their reef tanks. I am interested in combining the two wants into one.

My plan is something like this:

Cycle the tank and add mantis shrimp (tank will have 10~20lbs LR and a 4" SB). Wait until the mantis has established itself in the tank and then slowly start adding zoos.

Questions:
Will this work? I'm wondering if mantis shrimp will actually establish itself into one burrow/cave and stay there, or will they keep wanting to move around, make new homes, etc?? Species dependant? Which kinds would stay put after making their home?

To anyone who has a reef/mantis tank: How active are they about climbing onto rocks? I'll be putting frags and such on the rocks, although maybe some would go on the sand, but do they generally walk along the sandbed when moving about or will they climb over rocks and onto the zoos? I'm not sure how much the zoos will like being walked all over all the time.

thanks a lot in advance.

 

[Python73]

Zoanthids are tough. They can take some abuse. The only thing I'd worry about is them being buried if they are low on the rocks or on the sand. Most mantis like to dig in the sand, even the N. Wenneraes that spend most of their time in the rockwork.

I'd give it a shot, what's the worst that can happen? It isn't as if the mantis will eat the corals, just keep an eye out for "rearranging."

HTH

S !

 

[Gonodactylus]

In the field, many gonodactylids and Odontodactylids use multiple burrows or cavities.and move from one to another frequently or at least try to create a new one. This makes them difficult to keep track of and can cause some problems with burying (if you use a lot of sand for the substrate), but otherwise should not create many problems for your marine weeds.

Roy

 

[KRussell]

I have a bunch of shrooms and zooz in an eclipse 6 with an OS mantis. Everything is doing fine, except the mantis does run around the tank and trample the corals on a regular basis. She also does rearrange things which ends up burying corals once in a while. Overall I would highly recommend going for it. Attached is a picture of my set up.

 

[Fudo]

KRussel,

The mantis doesn't bother the fish? I was thinking of some green chromis in my mantis tank.

 

[word]

my O. havanensis does very well with the clownfish he's housed with.

 

[AttackDonut]

My mantis

My mantis

Is also very shy around the damsel that is with him. He is a smasher for what it's worth.

 

[EzRida206]

thx for the advice, I will go ahead and try it when I get started, "marine weeds" and all .

 

[Fudo]

Word, that is a very cool pic!!!

 

[KRussell]

I put the two damsels in to act as a food buffer just in case I wasn't feeding my mantis enough. I figured being a smasher, if she was full she would not chase the fish. Within two weeks both fish were gone even though I feed the mantis heavily. I tried one more damsel later and that one was gone within a few days. I am amazed at how much mantis eat, and how effective they are at hunting.

 

[thrlride]

This may sound like a stupid question but aren't mantis shrimp known for breaking glass aquariums or am I just smoking crack and making this up?

 

[Gonodactylus]

Mostly a myth, although it has been known to happen with very large (6 inch +) Odontodactylus scyllarus and Hemisquilla californiensis.