N. Wennerae substrate needs?

[EzRida206]

I am going to break down my 20H and replace it with a 10gallon when I move at the end of this month. My tank currently has a 4~6" southdown sand base but when I change tanks I plan on only keeping about an inch of it at most.

When I first got my NW it dug a large network of tunnels under all my liverock. What I want to know is if they can live without burrows, just in the LR itself (in which case I may go bare bottom) or if they need substrate. And if the latter proves true, how much will it need (since I only want to keep about an inch of the sand)?

thx much

 

[ReefMagic]

I woudn't say it's required, but it's certainly alot easier for them to make underground tunnels then break through rock. They are found alot in the liverock in their homes. My spiny-tailed gonodactyloid just found a home in the rocks and blocked it uo every night. Don't know how much, just maybe try to get some rock with some tunnels already through them?

 

[EzRida206]

I suppose i'll throw down about an inch or so of substrate. I hope this is deep enough!

 

[Gonodactylus]

N. wennerae nearly always live in some sort of preexisting cavity - usually coral rubble. If a cavity is not available in rubble, they will live in live coral, nuts, sponges - anything that will provide a cavity. They do not live in burrows, but will excavate under rubble in an attempt to hide and to find filled in cavities. The intense burrowing and use of burrows that are frequently reported by people keeping this species in aquaria is abnormal behavior caused by a lack of suitible cavities.

Also, this species is not particularly good at chipping out its own cavities. They are good at modifying rubble by wedging gravel, shell, etc. in to cracks and holes to form cavities.

The most common cavity type in which you would find N. wennerae in the field would be a small piece of rubble with one or more 1-3" cavities (entrance only about 1/2"). Often the rubble will be partially buried and the entrance just above the substrate.

Roy

 

[tirtguyll]

would burying a peace of pvc pipe work?
or a tube of some sort?

 

[opihi]

Dr. C,
is the abnormal behavior of using burrows under rubble causing major stress to the mantis? or would you consider this behavior to be more adaptive?

thanks,
jeff

 

[Gonodactylus]

I don't think it is causing undue stress, but it is an indication that the animal is not satisfied with its housing arrangments. They really prefer a solid cavity with an entrance that they can close up at night.

ROy