mantis setup

[montanabay]

What to expect?

Tank Size?
Filteration?
Water quality upkeep?

Would a 12g Nano Cube keep a mantis? It will be his home along with many zoa, shrooms, LPS.

Do they need more space, 24g cube, bigger?


Thanks,

Josh

 

[DanInSD]

Do some searches, there are lots of similar posts in this forum.

The general idea is that smaller mantis species (N. wennerae, most Gonodactylus/Gonodactylaceus species, Haptosquilla species, etc) can do fine in a 10 gal. See Roy's list (a sticky in this forum) for specifics. Larger species (Odontodactylus species, Gonodactylaceus ternatensis, Gonodactylus chiraga) need correspondingly larger tanks (adult O. scyllarus need 30-40 gallons).

In general, standard marine predator setups apply. Good water quality (no ammonia, nitrite, low nitrate) with a protein skimmer and 10-20x/hr flow are necessary. Live rock, deep sand bed and refugiums are useful for nutrient control and export. Some species really benefit from a PVC "cave"; others will make their own using available materials. Lighting depends on species but if you aim for a tank that will support zoanthids/mushrooms (PC lighting in the 3-5 W/gal range) you should be fine. Mantis are notoriously messy eaters, generating a lot of waste for their size. Plan accordingly.

Have fun,
Dan

 

[DanInSD]

Wow, you're a grad student at Berkeley? Go look up Professor Roy Caldwell, AKA "Dr. Mantis".

 

[justinl]

Re: mantis setup

If you stay with 12g, then go with a G. smithii if you can find one, or else a N. wennerae. If you go with the 24g, there are more options which you can see in the sticky that Dan mentioned.

I wouldn't say a skimmer is completely necessary, just very very helpful. Many mantis owners who skimped on the skimmer kicked themselves later and got one anyways.

Mantises, depending on species, are fairly resistant to badish water quality. But do your best to keep quality high of course.

If you keep with the plan to keep corals, be prepared to wonder where they went the next morning. Mantises like to aquascape and may take your frags to decorate their homes.

Past that, just read. then read some more. good luck! mantises rock.