Mantis Shrimp set up
- Thread starter Stork141
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Fartin'Gary
New member
A small smasher wouldn't destroy your finger. I have been hit by by 6" peacock a couple of times. Once was a love tap, the second was much harder but not near it's full potential. It still left a mark. Either way a smasher can spear you as well although it's rare they use those. IMO that is much worse that getting whacked. So with a spearer you risk a nasty puncture wound instead of a hammer strike. It's lightning fast. You should be very careful around either.
Fartin'Gary
New member
It will molt shortly after you put it in the tank and most likely change color based off the environment.
Been reading through Roys list again. You mentioned it in the beginning of the thread could i successfully do a G. Smitthi? If so where would you suggest looking at buying one? I see blue zoo has them but ive never ordered anything from them before. Located in IL if anyone locally knows please let me know.
Calappidae
Harlequin Shrimp
Bluezoo IME is very reliable. Good guarentee if something goes wrong as well. Prices a bit high.. but atleast I know money won't be wasted if they're willing to refund (which never once was needed!)
I actually don't see G. smithii instock very often.. actually those ones bluezoo have now are the first in a couple of months (I get email alerts)
Smithii would do well in a 15 gal. Assuming all precautions of setting up a smaller nano are taken.. reguarding a species of stomatopod in general, G. smithii would be good. They stay one color also (unless you get the extremely rare mutation which I think there was only 3 records of existing..)
I actually don't see G. smithii instock very often.. actually those ones bluezoo have now are the first in a couple of months (I get email alerts)
Smithii would do well in a 15 gal. Assuming all precautions of setting up a smaller nano are taken.. reguarding a species of stomatopod in general, G. smithii would be good. They stay one color also (unless you get the extremely rare mutation which I think there was only 3 records of existing..)
Fartin'Gary
New member
Tampa Bay Saltwater gets N.Wenerrae all the time. If you order live rock from them you will probably get one or two in the rock for free. You could always call them and ask them to ship it to you. They will probably ask how many you want lol.
http://www.tampabaysaltwater.com/thepackage/organisms.html
http://www.tampabaysaltwater.com/thepackage/organisms.html
Calappidae
Harlequin Shrimp
If you're getting N. wennerae don't bother with PVC. They always like to build their own cavities in rocks IME. Once they have their cavity built (which they most likely will in the live rock you recieve) they ain't leaving it for another.
Try 1 inch pvc as you don't want it too big if you recieve a smaller specimen.
Try 1 inch pvc as you don't want it too big if you recieve a smaller specimen.
Adetia
New member
Some people have been successful with this, here's a thread Dr. Roy commented on about the different color morphs of the P. Ciliata and when they seem to occur: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1465662
Ill most likely just buy the shrimp and use my own rock so that why i am thinking of using a pvc burrow. I have some tonga and pukani laying around and figured i could make a nice auqa scape with that and a diy pvc burrow.
So i decided to out and build a burrow today. I used 3/4" pvc with a 1 1/2" "T" den in the middle to turn around or to have more room. The right side of the picture is open so i can stick a small koralia in there to keep flow through the pipping. I will be adding sand and rock to the burrow to make it look like a actual real structure. Its not glued so if you have any suggestions i can def move stuff around. I did 3/4" b/c HD didnt have any 45s at 1" so just did it all in 3/4" since ill be sticking with smaller species.
Islandoftiki
New member
Wow, that elaborate. Are you going to coat the exposed parts in aragonite sand or something to make it look more natural?
Fartin'Gary
New member
That is a bad idea imo. A simple burrow is all it needs. It will block off any extra holes besides the two it uses and it will be hard to get decent flow in the pipes like that. Clean water and good flow is the best for it's health. They can be pigs and stash food in there and it will get nasty.
Also you might want to hold off and see how big it actually is. They need enough room to flip around inside.
Also you might want to hold off and see how big it actually is. They need enough room to flip around inside.
Calappidae
Harlequin Shrimp
You want the stomatopod's legs to touch both sides of the burrow and be able to do a 360 if it wanted to effortlessly. See the animal in person first before buying the pvc (too late..)
Like gary said, you don't want the burrow to be stagnant.. and unforunantly in smaller burrows for smaller stomatopods you can't fit a small pump so all that complicated structure is asking for disaster later on.
Plus when stomatopods molt they need to close their burrows.. if most stomatopods have trouble handling 1-3 cavity openings naturally.. imagine 5 in a maze like structure. N. wennerae actually closes their burrow EVERY NIGHT. Mine is closed up til morning right now!
Also I heard roy likes to sand paper the ink off of the pvc. I do so myself.. sand paper the ink, any sharp cut edges, etc. It's low risk not to so no worries but it's a precaution.
This isn't my vid but this is how tight they love to fit in their homes.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/55ujSZSsTns" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
You're really cutting it close with the pvc.. and you don't even have the animal to size it yet!
Like gary said, you don't want the burrow to be stagnant.. and unforunantly in smaller burrows for smaller stomatopods you can't fit a small pump so all that complicated structure is asking for disaster later on.
Plus when stomatopods molt they need to close their burrows.. if most stomatopods have trouble handling 1-3 cavity openings naturally.. imagine 5 in a maze like structure. N. wennerae actually closes their burrow EVERY NIGHT. Mine is closed up til morning right now!
Also I heard roy likes to sand paper the ink off of the pvc. I do so myself.. sand paper the ink, any sharp cut edges, etc. It's low risk not to so no worries but it's a precaution.
This isn't my vid but this is how tight they love to fit in their homes.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/55ujSZSsTns" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
You're really cutting it close with the pvc.. and you don't even have the animal to size it yet!
This isn't my vid but this is how tight they love to fit in their homes.
You're really cutting it close with the pvc.. and you don't even have the animal to size it yet![/QUOTE]
Gotcha got a little bit too exited with this. I build fake rock scapes/waterfalls for terrariums and have made some extremely elaborate ones in the past. I not all hobbies can be transferable ha. My bad will re do it.
Kind of confused with this. You say it needs to be tight but then you say that im cutting it way to close with 3/4 pipe. The mantis will be 2" long as the listing says and i would guess from pics and seeing other mantis it will be around 1/2" wide. With a maximum of 3.5 long" i cant imagine that it would be over 3/4" wide. Even if it is from your post it would like that b/c it likes a tight burrow. Dont mean or want to sound rude just want to understand is all.
So from what im gathering i should just K.I.S.S. (keep it simple stupid) with the design. Maximum of 3 holes? Yes i am planning on sanding and gluing sand/rocks to make it look natural.
Its also just pvc so i should be able to spend a extra $10 on larger pvc if need be
You're really cutting it close with the pvc.. and you don't even have the animal to size it yet![/QUOTE]
Gotcha got a little bit too exited with this. I build fake rock scapes/waterfalls for terrariums and have made some extremely elaborate ones in the past. I not all hobbies can be transferable ha. My bad will re do it.
Kind of confused with this. You say it needs to be tight but then you say that im cutting it way to close with 3/4 pipe. The mantis will be 2" long as the listing says and i would guess from pics and seeing other mantis it will be around 1/2" wide. With a maximum of 3.5 long" i cant imagine that it would be over 3/4" wide. Even if it is from your post it would like that b/c it likes a tight burrow. Dont mean or want to sound rude just want to understand is all.
So from what im gathering i should just K.I.S.S. (keep it simple stupid) with the design. Maximum of 3 holes? Yes i am planning on sanding and gluing sand/rocks to make it look natural.
Its also just pvc so i should be able to spend a extra $10 on larger pvc if need be
Calappidae
Harlequin Shrimp
I ment cutting it close as in your gambling whether or not your new specimen will even fit 
