Mantis Over build

[TundraGuy]

Take a look at what I put together for my Mantis. I have had him since 2007. He has been living in a 6 gallon cube for way to long. I am in the navy and had to break down my other systems when I moved so I now have a garage full of random fish tank parts. Given a little down time and a lot of random parts this is what I made for Squshi the Mantis.

The tank (24x24x13.5) was a coffee table tank that I put on top of a small end table. The sump is a 20 long. The skimmer is an Bubble King 300. The return is a mag 9.5 running to a SQWD with two returns. There is a Vortech mp10 moving water around. The overflow box I have I moded so it makes no noise. The light stand is just some pvc drains that i clamped to the sump and mounted the canapé from the 6 gallon cube on top. I used a stunner led light inside it to light the tank. In the sump there is a two little fishie phosban reactor heater and carbon.

The tank has been up and running for about 7 months no problems. His fish friends are a Humbug and Yellow tail blue damsel. I feed squshi all kinds of hermits, snails, and sometimes for fun chuncks of frozen jumbo shrimp. When ever I add more snails he gose crazy. I am always removing broken shells from the tank.

 

[TundraGuy]

Just noticed I don't have a good pix of Squshi to post I will have to try and get one tonight and get it up here. Sorry about that. O yea and he lives in a plastic animal skull that he smashed holes in so he can get into it.

 

[TundraGuy]

this is a shot of him back in sep of 2010 still in the small cube.

 

[TundraGuy]

Not sure what he is maby a G. Falcatus, or G. Smithii. He dose look like one of Roy's pix of a G. Smithii. But this little Mantis is so shy I can't get onboard with being a Smithii. Once I get some good shots of him you folks can tell me what kind Squshi is.

 

[FLMantis]

Very nice, is that only one stunner strip for the whole lighting?

 

[TundraGuy]

Yeap only had one but am thinking of adding two more. The ripples are just like that of a MH so I love it. Plus I dought that the LEDs are strong enoff to contribute to shell rout. Squshi has been under that light for over a year no issuse

 

[Dana42078]

Looks good. Cant get a good ID because the pic quality isnt the best.

 

[othercents]

From the meral spot it looks like a G. Smithii. The G. Falcatus has a yellow-green meral spot. Once you have the better pictures I'm sure we can correctly identify it.

 

[TundraGuy]

Thank you for the post and I am trying to get a pix of Squshi but past couple days he's not been the most friendly of characters. Running in and out of his skull-house never allowing me the time to get any pix. He is so afraid of being seen out in the open. I am still trying.

 

[DanInSD]

Pretty sure it's a G. smithii.

Dan

 

[TundraGuy]

Ok now I want to plant some Macro in this tank does anyone know where I can get my hands on Caulerpa Paspaloides, C. Sertulariodes, C. Taxifolia, and maybe some C. Prolifera in the DC area or online?
The first 3 appear to be very similar but believe me there have their own unique characteristics that I am looking for. Moving for the Navy kills my ability to find the macros that I want.

 

[TundraGuy]

Squshi has never eaten a fish"¦"¦. Till today.

Yesterday one of the lfs moved to a new location so I went by and picked up a perc and an ocellaris. Took the Humbug out due to him beating the tar out of these two guys. The clowns seemed to like the new tank both were exploring there new environment with what could only be described as "œthe joy of little children on charismas morning."

I went home on lunch to see if I could snap some pix of them but what I found was one perc (still swimming) and a tail hanging from Squshi's door. I really do think mantis like temporary trophies put up on display for all to see.

 

[TundraGuy]

Ok so I went over to Reefs2Go.com and OMG 100 blue leg crabs for $37.99 with free shipping. I also got 30 Nassarius snails $0.59 apiece by the way they are by one get one so that $0.29 apiece and free shipping. If you buy $50 worth of stuff they throw in 1000 amphipods and copepods. I finally found a place to get Squishy his food and not break the bank.
Thought you Mantaholics would like this!

 

[jzoa]

Do u just throw 50 crabs in there at once?

 

[TundraGuy]

Yep. Well I got 100 from Reefs2go.com so they all went in the tank. The Nassarius snails did not make it in the shipment but everything else got put in there. All I can say is Squshi is one happy mantis. The next step is for me to order two more stunner strips and find some macro algae to add.

I find having food running around lets my mantis do as he likes and I don't have to worry about feeding him.

 

[Dana42078]

Yep. Well I got 100 from Reefs2go.com so they all went in the tank. The Nassarius snails did not make it in the shipment but everything else got put in there. All I can say is Squshi is one happy mantis. The next step is for me to order two more stunner strips and find some macro algae to add.

I find having food running around lets my mantis do as he likes and I don't have to worry about feeding him.

Yea but if they keep roaming into his burrow he might kill quite a few at once and it may mess with your params. I had this issue and ran into red slime. I BARELY feed my damsel and trust me when i do feed him. He eats every last drop, just like my mantis....but i, like you, put in about 40 hermits into my 20g and one day he killed at least 7.

I guess it may vary just as anyones experiance in this hobby but thats just me. I have a happy medium of hermits/snails now. 3 big turbo's about 25 hermits....i need more snails but been lazy. Also have a scarlett hermit and an unknown crab that punked my scarlett for his shell.

 

[benningtondt8]

I'd say you will need a bigger skimmer..lol

 

[TundraGuy]

Lol yep he took out about 20 or so in the first hour of putting them in there. He also killed and eat 2 of the 6 turbos I put in. As for them fouling the water not a problem I have the 300 external Bubble king running on the side of this system as my skimmer. It was a left over skimmer from one of my old systems. I do have to say its way over kill but I don’t have a single problem with my lvls. For phosphates I am running a two little fishies Phosphate Reactor. Turnover in the main tank is 17 times the volume now that I added a second return pump and SQWD. And I do run carbon no need to, but I have the ability to so I do. I run Squshi’s system as if it was a 100 gallon sps system only it’s a 50 total water volume including the 8 gallons in the skimmer. Just now cal reactor (I dose with Bionc) and no intense lighting for fear of shell rot.

I love over building my systems.

Mwhahahaha!

But thank you for the tips on keeping out the red slimes.

 

[TundraGuy]

A buddy of mine took this pix of me when I first took it out of the box in Phoenix. Gives you a size perspective on the skimmer. Sorry for the bad quality.

Hehehehe

 

[Dana42078]

Holy sheet. Thats a big skimmer yo. I guess i wasnt paying attention in your first pictures, more focused on your tank. Yea, id say you shouldnt have a problem lulz.