New mantis keeper!!

[Aquariumgirl]

Hey everyone, I've just recently (yesterday actually ) started a 3 gallon mantis tank. At a local fish store they got a shipment of LRs in and found two mantis shrimps, but one looks like he's not doing well (keeps swimming upside down and can't flip himself over). I also kept some of the crabs that were in the LR shipment as well to put into the tank incase the mantis get hungry. Here are some pictures.

This is the mantis that isn't doing so well. The other is hiding and I'm still waiting until he comes out for a visit.

This is a sundial that came with the rock shipment, thought it would be kinda cool to have him, but I don't think I'll be able to feed him zoos since I really like my zoos

 

[SuperNerd]

Are you gonna give that butt crab to them?

 

[Aquariumgirl]

Hehe, I should have but the butt crab probably would have ate them first he was so big!! No, he went into someones sump system. If I find any more of those crabs I'll feed them to the mantis.

 

[Aquariumgirl]

Here are some more pictures of my mantis shrimps.

Sorry there isn't many, but he (or her) is just starting to come out more. So, there should be more pictures of the little guy
:lol:

 

[Gandy]

Very cool find! Good luck! I like the dark color. How big is the cave in the first pic?

 

[Aquariumgirl]

Thanks Gandy, the first cave was a four inch clay pot. I took it out no one was using it, probably too big. I just have the small pieces of live rock, I'm thinking of upgrading the lights so I can put macro algae but, I've read they don't really like too much light so maybe just more live rock and some feather dusters. Does anyone have suggestions?

 

[Gandy]

Just some LR and maybe a small pvc pipe configuration. Be sure to set it up where you can see into the tube because they'll probably go straight in and might not come out too often. My mantis likes to roam, but most aren't like that so be sure to allow for visibility.

 

[Aquariumgirl]

Thanks Gandy for the tips, much appreciated

I have another question, the shrimp is just over an inch, would it be okay to put a damsel fish in (I do realize that someday they might eat it, but I'm okay with that)? Also, it seems to really like the live crabs (tried feeding them frozen mysis but only the crabs seem to be eating them) could I feed them live crabs from the beach?

 

[Gandy]

I have a damsel with my three inch p. ciliata and I have had nothing but interesting cooperation between the two. When I put in ghost shrimp the damsel runs them around and then master shredder tags them. I recomend this duo as I have seen that the damsel shows enough gaul and speed to keep the mantis @ bay. As well I have put a molly in with the pair and the same happens as with the ghosts but there has been no attack on the molly as of yet.

 

[Aquariumgirl]

Thanks Gandy!! just posting some more Pictures!! a green chromis and then there is just another poor, very poor picture of the mantis shrimp. Does anyone know what kind of mantis this guy is? I know the pictures have been poor, but I thought I'd ask

 

[Danyal]

that's cool that your damsel and mantis team up like that gandy, i hope mine do that if i ever a sw tank set up