mantis tanks

[Bortass]

So how many of you have setup a mantis tank after getting one in a TBS order?

I just started researching mantis shrimp and the ones found in TBS rock are one of the recommended newbie shrimp.

Also have any of you just left the mantis alone in the reef tank and let things follow their natural course?

 

[HowardW]

<<< Also have any of you just left the mantis alone in the reef tank and let things follow their natural course? >>>


Nope, I would prefer to remove them and give them away, although they are not nearly as destructive as stone crabs and larger gorilla crabs IMO.

 

[Untamed12]

Re: mantis tanks

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9582143#post9582143 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Bortass
So how many of you have setup a mantis tank after getting one in a TBS order?

I just started researching mantis shrimp and the ones found in TBS rock are one of the recommended newbie shrimp.

Also have any of you just left the mantis alone in the reef tank and let things follow their natural course?

I have a mantis in a tank and have kept him/her for 3 years now. It was a hitch-hiker from some Florida LR, so is likely the same species that TBS frequently deals with.

Here's a photo of his tank, and another of him having a light meal.

Leaving the mantis alone is exactly what I intend to do with my current tank. So far, I've received two in my first shipment of base rock. Both are living in the same rock, which is currently the ONLY rock in the display tank. I was told that one will kill the other, but I've seen each with lots of opportunity to do damage to the other and they just don't.

Keeping mantis in the main display will mean some sacrifices. Hermits/snails will no longer be considered permanent residents and have to be treated more like food.

We'll see how it goes. I will certainly post progress on this forum for other TBS customers.

Link to my tank thread for more details and photos.
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=28436&page=18

 

[schmuttis]

We had two mantis shrimp that we extracted from our TBS rock in the same jar for several days until someone picked them up. They both co-existed on oposite sides of the jar and only fought when we would pick up the jar or shine a light at them. I have no idea what the sex of each was.

 

[gemini aquarius(t)]

i am setting up a tank for my wennerae that i got from Richard (thanks again) but for now he is in my reef tank and not really messing wih my hermits to much he is really small like 2 1/2 inches

 

[Eldouble]

After months of clicking from the tank, I sat aside a day and removed every piece of 140lbs of rock from the tank. Caught 2 mantis and put them in a 5 gallon hex tank for 2 weeks, and they are now in a 10gal and doing fine. I saw them pop once at each other and thats it. They haven't bothered the snail or hermit in there with them. Interesting little buggers. Oh and the popping noise is still in the main tank. Darn pistol shrimp. Hard to imagine how that much noise comes from a shrimp a half inch long. I did pull 3 pistols from my sump, and put them in the mantis tank. We'll see who makes it the longest

 

[Eldouble]

Update... The pistols didn't make it too long at all. And after no feedings for about a week, one of the mantis turned from red to green, and and the next day there were little red pieces of mantis shell all over the tank. I don't know if it was a dominance thing, or a sex change, but the newly green shrimp ate the red one. He's still alive and feasting on any gorilla I can feed him. I put one in last night that is the size of a silver dollar when hes all stretched out. We'll see who eats who.

 

[schmuttis]

Pistol clicking

Pistol clicking

You asked how the pistol shrimp could make so much noise - take a look at this: pistol shrimp clicking

 

[docklink]

schmuttis - Excellent link. Thank you for sharing.

Bortass- I never set up a mantis tank, but did leave one mantis (about 3/4" long at the time) of the 4 that came with my rock back in the spring of 2004. I just removed it from my tank this week. For the first couple years, it wasn't much of a bother to the other tank inhabitants and grew to about 3" in length. It always had a great personality and was fun to watch and feed. Then, about 9 months ago, it started picking on my clean-up crew on a regular basis (it had eaten the occasional hermit or snail previously, but not often). After he pretty well cleared the aquarium of cleaners, I ordered up more. It was like bringing in a fresh smorgesbord for him!! The tank was starting to get over-run with algae and looking like H#$% so I had to make the decision finally and out he's gone. It was fun while it lasted.
By the way, I still have some of the pistol shrimp in the tank from the original rock (they click away every now and then). They don't bother anything but the occassional mysis and I don't mind the clicks.

 

[jjvernon]

I got at least three mantis shrimp in my TBS order - all aroud 1" long. The first one I caught went into the refugium. He was multicolored. The second one was bright green. I ended up keeping him in the refugium, because the first one had disappeared. I know there's at least one more in the display tank, but I'm not really worried about him for now.

BTW, when I tried the homemade trap, I caught everything in the tank, except the mantis.

 

[moseynme]

Hi all! I received a mantis with part 1 of TBS and he is still in the main tank...so far....The 2nd part is due to arrive this Friday, so we shall see what we shall see...but

He's incredibly interactive...if I tap, ever so lightly on the stand (not the tank!), 'a shave & a haircut', he pops out to find me. We play hide & seek - I hide...he finds me!

I have an extra 45 gal tank that I would like to devote to a mantis tank, but still can't get a definite opinion on whether or not a glass tank is safe for wennerae. Everyone seems to have a different opinion. Any thoughts would be welcome?!?

 

[moseynme]

Hi all! :wave: I received a mantis with part 1 of TBS and he is still in the main tank...so far....The 2nd part is due to arrive this Friday, so we shall see what we shall see...but

He's incredibly interactive...if I tap, ever so lightly on the stand (not the tank!), 'a shave & a haircut', he pops out to find me. We play hide & seek - I hide...he finds me! :dance:

I have an extra 45 gal tank that I would like to devote to a mantis tank, but still can't get a definite opinion on whether or not a glass tank is safe for wennerae. Everyone seems to have a different opinion. Any thoughts would be welcome?!?

 

[moseynme]

Drat! Double posted....sorry

 

[mkbtank]

Great Thread. I kept mine (from my tps order) for about 3 years. Had a super loud pistol shrimp also for that long.

 

[ksrinlv]

A glass tank is absolutely safe with a wennerae because they max out at 3" so no chance of them breaking it. They're hardy and super intelligent and fun pets! I set up a separate 3 gallon reef tank for mine after my TBS shipment. A year or two ago I rearranged (added!) tanks and put the mantis in a 50 gallon reef where he's been just fine. I was afraid I wouldn't see much of him with so much space/rock and the cleanup crew for him to invite to dinner as he pleased, but am happy to report he still pokes his head out to say hi and sometimes I even catch him cruising around the tank! Way fun. I don't have algae problems in the tank thanks to large turbo snails who are too big for the mantis to eat as well as the uneaten cleanup crew (yep, have to replenish them a couple times a year!).

 

[ksrinlv]

Oh yeah, and have had no problems at all keeping damsels with my wennerae, in fact the damsel harrasses the mantis!!

 

[Untamed12]

Here's a promised update.

After a few months of living with the 5 or 6 mantis that I got in my shipment, I'm happy to report that they have caused absolutely no problems whatsoever.

They are among the most interesting of the tank inhabitants.

I fed them often at first, but lately I hardly ever see them anymore. I think they've settled into their wild behaviour. Of course, I hear the loud 'cracks' every now and then. I assume that a hermit has met his end, but so far I have yet to see the show.

 

[wooglin]

No One should worry about a pistol shrimp causing trouble in their reef tank. Even the Mantis cause very little problem besides killing snails and hermits. They dont usually bother them if you keep them well fed.