My Notes: Keeping, Feeding, and Selecting Your Mantis Shrimp

stealthspy589

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Mantis Shrimp
Information pertaining to keeping, introducing, and what kinds of mantis shrimp there are was my primary goal when I first heard about these magnificent creatures. I have decided to compile my 'research findings' per say, so that it will help someone else in the future when they become curious about stomatopods, or happen to have one already that need advice.

Fine Print: I am not a doctor, PHD, Masters or any kind of educational teacher. I am not a scientist or any form of biologist. I am a saltwater enthusiast that has compiled a generic guide to Keeping, Feeding, and Selecting a type of Mantis shrimp. This is based on all of the research I have done through searching forums, college institutions research papers, findings and public material as well as hundreds of hours of research online. With all that said and done I hope that this helps someone down the line.

Kinds of Mantis

Largest (Roy's) list of Stomatopod species: bit.ly/1sNgQ3v

The two main types of Mantis Shrimp are Spearers, and Smashers. Spearers have an appendage that they can jab out and stab like a harpoon, generally hunting fish. While the Smasher has a club like appendage that beats harder shell crustaceans such as clams, crabs, lobsters, shrimp, etc.

Smasher Behavior: Smashers use their club appendage and incredible speed to deliver the world's most powerful punch. They'll destroy just about any kind of crustacean with a shell, it hits the shell and will crack and break shells to bits and then take the meaty hunt to it's den. Dens: Their 'home' varies depending on species. As they have a shorter appendage than the spearer, they often don't dig a tunnel in the substrate. Instead they will typically seek refuge in the rocks. If you are planning a tank, try to create a small rock cavity to minimize the odds that your mantis shrimp will 'redecorate'. They are known to bust up small rocks to close their den, or even move frag discs to use as a door. (read warning below)
*some species of smashers dig into coral colonies, and stony corals as it does naturally in the wild, while some would love to see this in their own aquarium, some would hate to see that on a prize show coral. This is is warning to RESEARCH YOUR SPECIFIC SPECIES BEFORE YOU BUY ONE.*

Spearer Behavior: Spearers use their spear-like appendage to assassinate fish. If a fish swims near or close to it's burrow the mantis shrimp kills it by rapidly striking the fish with it's spear and pulling it deep into it's burrow. The most important thing to note about spearer mantis shrimp is that they do in fact burrow, they use their appendage to dig holes in the sand bed and us mucus to hold the sand together. It is for this reason that a Deep Sand Bed is very key to a happy and healthy mantis shrimp. Some species get large enough to need a 12" sand bed at times, while other one need a 3-6". Research your specific species for more specific details.


What to consider between the two of these? Well I'll explain that by telling you about it's feeding habits. Then you'll understand it a little more and you'll know which of the two main types of shrimp you would would to keep in your aquarium.

Feeding
Terrific (R/C) thread on Food for Mantis Shrimp
: bit.ly/1gh650t

Well besides the fact that one eats fish and one eats crustaceans you have to understand one thing; their appendages need to be used or they will weaken as they molt. A smasher can even lose their appendage if it isn't fed hard shelled crustaceans regularly. They should generally be fed every other day, or two "“ three times a week. As their size varies from a few inches to 8"+, vary your diet accordingly. Both main types of Mantis Shrimp are extremely aggressive the only thing you should keep in that tank with the mantis shrimp is things you do not have a long love for. If the mantis shrimp is hungry it will eat at it's will. There isn't much that can compete with mantis shrimp, or it's speed. So keep this in mind. The only thing I store with my smasher mantis is a CUC for him to eat when he wants to hunt and I'll replace it when it's low.

Smasher Live Food Diet: Generally speaking they'll eat anything they can smash. You can give them anything from hermit crabs, clams, lobsters, shrimp, emerald crabs, scallops, arrow crabs, snails, decorator crabs. You get the point, Anything with meat inside that it can smash open is perfect. Usually you can throw a CUC in and replace it every week or say.

Spearer Live Food Diet: Generally speaking they'll eat anything they can take down, everything from 1"-12", even a lion fish your options are unlimited so nuff said. If you're giving a mantis shrimp frozen food, you can choose from a wide selection such as shrimp (cocktail shrimp are OK, squid, kill, even silver side chunks (available at LFS 90% time). You have a wide selection with this as well.

*Anything you buy from a local super market, or LFS, maker sure there isn't any iodine added.*


Reef Safe?
Well I did mention in the Kinds of Mantis section that there a few risks with large colony corals with smasher species of mantis. It's also importance to note there is a chance it can move frags. If it is properly secured there generally isn't an issue. The reason the will probably do this is to use it as a door to their den. On that note they generally do not harm coral. So you can easily throw in a few zoas and not break the bank if they do get a little tossed around.

Tank Setup
There is a rumor among the aquarium world whether or not a mantis shrimp can break an aquarium. The answer is simple, don't be stupid and your won't get shot. I told you these creatures are highly aggressive, and most of the time they are purchased they are a grown adult male. While others introduced into the aquarium were hitchhiker that came with something else and sold off. The younger you get the better, just like any other animal in nature. The recommended tank size for Stomatopods is 30 or more gallons. Anything less and the glass is thinner, making it easier to bust if a hard impact hits it. The shrimp is still not giant, and his appendage is not very likely capable of breaking the aquarium unless it has outgrown that aquarium. For spearer mantis, using is deep sand bed is your best best with little rock work. If you're housing a smasher mantis, using a 2-5" sand bed with a good amound of rock work with a good sized rock cavity towards the bottom so that your mantis will claim it as his own so he can eat and molt in it with 100% seclusion from the rest of the tank.

Sorry for typos, anyone is welcome for reply. Thanks for your time and reef on.
 
Male O. scyllarus are extremely rare to come accross.

Stomatopods are not "Highly aggressive" Most stomatopods only kill if provoked.. more often than not a stomatopod can be housed with fish, atleast in a smasher's case. Rarely they may even get along with hard bodied prey they're natural predators of if kept on a steady frozen diet.

However it's down to individgual personallity and like I said whether or not the aggression is provoked (teasing it for example).

Large smashers such as O. scyllarus, G. chiragra, and other larger Odontodactylids are more than capable of cracking aquarium glass. However it rarely happens and thus laying a sheet of acrylic on the bottom often prevents this.

Only a few species get large enough to the point they require a 30 gallon.. and that's actually too small for those ones as a 40 gallon breeder, or my personal preference a 55 gallon is better suited for species like O. scyllarus. Most stomatopods only get around 3-5 inches. The occasional 7 and over species like the ever so common Peacock mantis (o. scyllarus) and L. maculata get huge.
 
A smasher can even lose their appendage if it isn't fed hard shelled crustaceans regularly.

This is a MYTH one that was spread through miss information a while ago and has become like "chinese whispers"...

What does a smasher use its hammers for PRIMARILY ?

Burrowing, boring into rock and hammer stone/sediement/coral, for 95% of the smashers life the hammer is used in a manner that has nothing to do with predation.

YOU DO NOT have to feed your smasher HARD prey to "Keep its hammers in tact".
 
Spearers DO NOT require sand to live full happy healthy thriving lives, in fact the sand offered can be more of a hassle for the caretaker and not "worth" the effort since the giant spearers simply do not need it. Large wide PVC stormwater pipe will be absolutely fine.
 
Awesome thanks for you input. I'll come back to the thread a lot so it's a wealth of information at my fingertips! Yeah the peacock is very much impressive.
 
Targeting what the majority want to keep is a good idea, such as the O.scyllarus specifically because of it's popularity and it's unique special needs...

For example:

Most O.scyllarus lack the building blocks within most aquariums to create suitable burrows, so PVC is not only easier but actually better because it gives the animal exactly what it needs rather then the limited rubble/rock it has available. In the wild large O.scyllarus burrows are...big! There is a video on youtube of a diver watching and following an O.scy as it builds it's burrow and when it's done the burrow is a mound of rubble as large as the diver who sits cross legged on the sea floor beside it.

Then there is the unique water parameters that O.scy require to live long full lives (not 1-2yrs but 8-10yrs), they can get Shell Rot very easily if the water quality in the tank isn't up to scratch...

Most of the smaller common species like G.smithii etc. are to tough to really cause much discussion over, anything about them is just an elaboration to fill time...called cockroaches for a reason.
 
Hello, I have been fascinated by the mantis for some time and have finally decided to buy one. Just got tank, 45 gal. corner hex. 2ft tall 2'x2' on back side with 3 1 ft front faces. I want a Peacock Mantis. Any particular advice on filtration, sand bed, coral, rocks etc. would be much appreciated. I am going to take my time and do it right. Have previous experience with saltwater aquariums but has been 10 years or so and I know there are new tech and developments I may not be aware of. Also, I live near the beach and intracoastal waterway in Florida, does anyone know about problems catching small crabs, snails, fish or shrimp from local waters and feeding to mantis? Could there be a contamination factor? Also I work at a seafood restaurant, what about feeding it commercially bought clams? and does its food need to be alive? or will they eat say dead shrimp? Alot of questions, I know but I want to be informed before I purchase. Thank you for any help......
 
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Any particular advice on filtration, sand bed, coral, rocks etc. would be much appreciated.
Filtration for just about any SW tank is sump/wetdry I have my tank connected to my display so the only additional maintence is keeping sandbed clean, removing exoskeletons, broken shells, etc etc etc.

As for sandbed, I personally recommend a DPS of 3-5 inches with 2" PVC. If you put PVC connected to a little cave-like structure of your liverock, it will help minimize the risk of a Peacock banging the bottom of the tank (Put a sheet of acylic so if he does punch the bottom, it's plastic and not glass.) I've heard great success with PVC and I've also heard it minimizes the amount of "redecorating" that they do.

Rock, doesn't really matter where or how much you place it. They'll take what they need and make a cave, or maybe just dig a tunnel under current rock work.

Also, I live near the beach and intracoastal waterway in Florida, does anyone know about problems catching small crabs, snails, fish or shrimp from local waters and feeding to mantis? Could there be a contamination factor? Also I work at a seafood restaurant, what about feeding it commercially bought clams? and does its food need to be alive? or will they eat say dead shrimp? Alot of questions, I know but I want to be informed before I purchase.

Anything from the wild is fairgame, it could be the healthiest specimen, and it could have internal parasites that MIGHT just happen to THRIVE in your tank. ANY time you try feeding fished-for food, you always run the risk of bringing pests of any sort, algae or creatures into your aquarium.

You can in fact feed them commercially bought seafood (shrimp, squid, clams, etc) as long as it doesn't contain iodine

Thank you for any help......

Sometimes it's hard enough getting a response when you plea for help. This is based on my knowledge and if something isn't perfect I'm sure someone will chime in to assist you further. Kharn, who has replied to this thread keeps quite a few mantis tanks. He knows more about keeping stomatopods in aquariums than anyone I've come across.
 
Thanks!

Thanks!

Thanks Stealth for the info, very helpful. I think I'll stay away from the local wild caught stuff until I get a quarantine tank. How do you test iodine levels in clams or live shrimp? I appreciate the good intel, Thanks again and looking forward to getting tank up and running.
 
Should be able to pick it up at one of your LFS. Seachem (Maker of Prime) makes an iodine test kit. However it will probably be fine with proper water changes as when you take some of the depleted water, you add water more rich with iodine by doing routine water changes.
 
Does color or image matter when blocking one or two sides of tank, I have a hex, don't what em smaking the glass for no reason....
 
Mine would sometimes smack the glass because of its reflection. After a little while it learned and quit. It was just test strikes though. Not super hard hits.
 
I've had my 7" wake up the whole house with a full on strike to the back of the acrylic tank. Oddly enough I slept right through it even tho he's in my room but everybody next morning came complaining. Wasn't the first time either :D
 
O.scyllarus above most other species do require a little more thought into internal aquascaping...

Their big and bulky and in the wild their burrows are like them, big and bulky, I watched a Nat Geo video of a diver sitting on the sea floor and recording an O.scyllarus building a burrow, anything around within about a 5mtr distance NOT fixed to the sea floor and NOT to heavy to carry...was carried back to the 'pile'.

In the end their was a huge mass of rubble like a mountain with various ports through the sides, my guess is the O.scyllarus built & modified the burrow with the primary thoughts of both Darkness & Flow within it.

To put it simply, 90% of O.scyllarus do not get the required materials to build an effective and efficient burrow like they can in the wild but, thankfully PVC is practically the BEST alternative :) it gives the big bulky smasher what it seeks in the wild, darkness & flow along with a solid structure which probably adds to the overall confidence of the individual seeing as the burrow in my view is what really brings out their 'personality'.

Just my opinion though ;)
 
thankfully PVC is practically the BEST alternative :) it gives the big bulky smasher what it seeks in the wild, darkness & flow along with a solid structure which probably adds to the overall confidence of the individual seeing as the burrow in my view is what really brings out their 'personality'.

Just my opinion though ;)

I love your opinion, and I wanted to do that. As a matter of fact I was going to PM but I'll keep it on this page for any other people to see. What kind of plumbing, I was thinking like 3" with a elbow with tubing going underground, maybe a foot or two long, and top of the PVC elbow that's above ground just connected to some rock work so it feels like a cave too.

Would this be adequate? Is this about how the cave plumbing should go?
 
The general idea for a 'good' Premade Peacock Burrow would consist of the following 3 key features.

- Darkness: At least a portion within where NO LIGHT AT ALL reaches, a portion of complete utter darkness.

- Flow: Their needs to be adequate flow within specially at that dark area where it is likely to be weakest.

- Complexity: Simple single straight lengths of PVC will not cut it long term, their going to need more complex structures with more opening 3+ ideally.

If all 3 can be achieved one can the rest easy knowing they have just created the optimal O.scyllarus burrow/home.
 
The general idea for a 'good' Premade Peacock Burrow would consist of the following 3 key features.

- Darkness: At least a portion within where NO LIGHT AT ALL reaches, a portion of complete utter darkness.

- Flow: Their needs to be adequate flow within specially at that dark area where it is likely to be weakest.

- Complexity: Simple single straight lengths of PVC will not cut it long term, their going to need more complex structures with more opening 3+ ideally.

If all 3 can be achieved one can the rest easy knowing they have just created the optimal O.scyllarus burrow/home.

Do they like larger cavity burrows? Are they narrow? What size PVC should you use for it?
 
What I know is that the Stomatopods ALL prefer a burrow slightly wider then their own bulk but with enough room within to invert themselves and turn around etc. even the giant 400mm spearers.

In the past I used 60mm Stormwater pipe for my largest 7" O.scyllarus with which it could turn around within, it seemed to enjoy the offered burrow.
 
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