Mantis Setup Questions

[sardonicscorpio]

My husband decided that he wants a mantis and I'm researching setups. I'm thinking a 20-30g, dsb, 20-30lbs LR, a HOB filter, macro, and a koralia. He doesn't plan on having fish and just wants zoos and shrooms (I'm going to have to guard my 65g reef from him or he'll frag all my rics and zoos! lol)
**Is it necessary to have a skimmer, or will the natural filtration and HOB be enough with such a little bioload?
**In your opinion, who is the best mantis shipper and what is their web address? (mantis are hard to find locally in Phoenix)
**Any tips? I'd like to get the setup for him for christmas, and then let him add his own corals and mantis.

Thanks!!

 

[abrahamcho]

What do you mean by watch out?
THE things you need for a mantis tank: (simple)
-A tank 6~100 gallon depending on species.
-standard lighting, not strong, mantis shrimps do not like bright lights.
-sand 1/2 the tank if it is a spearer.
- some live rock to provide cover and to hold PVC if you want
-PVC
-I have macro algae not mandatory.
-heater if it gets colder, a chiller vice versa
-all the other stuff like carbon, sponge, pump, and refractometer.

I have a peacock mantis and a P. Ciliata

You can also try to go to bluezooaquatics.com and they have nice ones, but people say they lie about the size and it comes bigger and sometimes they will die early. it is a risk but it is at a reasonable price. you dont need a skimmer in a mantis tank. I have a 1/2 inch mantis I am willing to sell and a 5 inch peacock mantis i am willing to sell. Since it is in a 65 gallon it should be okay. THese guys are the most colorful ones and one of the more aggressive type. I love mine! I have 2 so ya if you want one PM me.

 

[justinl]

skimmer is not mandatory but it is quite useful if the tank is smaller. If you stick with a small mantis like N. wennerae, then it really wont matter since the tank is so oversized (minimum volume for wennies is 5gal... variable for other species).

imo, the best online mantis shipper (barring fellow reefers) is TBS (tampabaysaltwater.com) for the sole reason that you know wha species you'll get (N. wennerae, 10$, 50$ shipped to your door). for other sites, unless it's wysiwyg, it's a gamble as to what species they'll send you.

here's a link to the N. wennerae info... very good choice for your situation. plus it lets you avoid having to find a specific mantis species locally (which can be very difficult)
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthro...costraca/royslist/species.php?name=n_wennerae

because it will be a reef tank, stay away from large mantids like O. scyllarus (peacock mantis). imo, it just isnt reef safe. stick to the smaller guys. N. wennerae and G. smithii (if you can find one... he's quite a bit more rare) are two great reef candidates. know what species you're putting in the tank... if you can provide a pic of a prospective mantis, we can usually ID it for you. regardless though, glue down any small frags to the rock work or to "large" pieces of LR. large meaning pieces big enough that the mantis wont be able to drag it to his burrow... meaning at least two thirds the size of the mantis itself.

tips? feed the mantis once every three days. it will lessen the bioload and your reef will appreciate it. avoid having your hands in the tank. if you are forced to have your hands in the tank, then wear gloves. frag outside the tank.

for lights, imo, it doesn't matter so long as you provide the mantis with a proper nice dark burrow. which just means rock with holes in it and a bunch of LR rubble (pea to marble sized). Id stay away from spearers (except P. ciliata) since they need a very deep sand bed but that's up to you.