Mantis Shrimp Questions

[DeadManWalking]

Ive ben wanting to get a mantis shrimp for a while now but my lfs never has them. i was going to ask them to order one but i was wondering what species would do best in my tank. i have a 6line wrasse in the tank already. will that be a problem? its a 29 gallon with about 20 pounds of live rock.

 

[mattyice]

the six line will most likely be killed by any mantis you put in and the largest mantis you could go with would be a peacock (O. Scyllarus)

 

[SkiFletch]

Agreed. Wrasses sleep in rocks, mantises hunt in rocks... The math does not work out well for the wrasse

 

[Thurge]

Then where do Damsels sleep?
It will only be a problem if you really don't want to loose the 6line. Mantis just aren't fish safe, so any fish you keep with it will be at risk of becomming a meal. I am actually corrious as to what would happen with the two in the same tank, because I love Fairy Wrasses (let the jokes start) but don't have the guts to risk one with my mantis's. Honestly I would give it just as good a chance as a damsel, because they are quick, don't pearch on rocks a lot, and are sharp eyed.