on breaking glass

[rogerwells]

would you recommend a pvc pipe? cause i have two potential burrow spots in my tank already....holes in the live rock...one of them is really big the other might be too small...depending on the size...i heard the mantis will move the rock around to suit itself anyways

i cant get a 20L cause im not allowed to get another tank due to my parents thinking two is already one too many...so i figure in about a year i can convince them to let me upgrade the mantis tank to a 20L...so he should be good in the 12 gallon for about a year right?

 

[Hutton]

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=2281

i may have found a mantis for you roger...

 

[jbplay]

I put my 3" mantis into my 20g quarantine tank where I'd put together pvc burrow(1" diameter pvc tube with two 90" elbows) with a few pounds of live rock stacked on top. It took her about two minutes to discover it and begin dragging pieces of live rock rubble into the ends to make doorways. Now it's an hour later and she's happily destroying a hermit crab for dinner.

 

[rwhhunt]

my friend ordered this guy from liveaquaria several months ago when they wer in stock. They are a variety of shallow water species, my friend ended up getting a beautiful Ciliata

but i heard that others go small (1-2" black speciments) I believe there were like six different species collected.... BUT, Go for IT! I think liveaquaria is a good place to buy online

 

[rogerwells]

oh sweet....i looked on that site too and i couldnt find that mantis.....maybe im blind....they said i need an order of at least thirty dollars so now i have to order something else as well.....has anyone ordered from them before? good or bad?

 

[Hutton]

i want a ciliata so bad! ive heard they are good, maybe order some nice zoanthids or another coral with the mantis.

 

[rogerwells]

yeah thats what im thinking about doing.....but theres a clown goby in there that i am temperarely holding for someone....so i have to wait till their tank is cycled to get the mantis so he doesnt kill the clown goby.

 

[rwhhunt]

The ciliata was buddies with a yellow tailed damsel that was used to cycle the tank, and provide some "entertainment" untill we could find a mantis, well they would hang out together, and they seemed to be friends....then one day we fed him a black molly, it took a few different attempts to gain his interests, then (actually videoed) the cilaita taking down the molly, SO FAST!!! Anyways, i think the damsel lasted a day or two after that, and we never saw "Rapunzel" again... The mantis ciliata did great with karge hermits, snails, small hermits, and a pencil urchin!

 

[rogerwells]

yeah the clown goby would be a snack for a four inch mantis....its soo tiny and slow....so in like two weeks ill order

 

[Thurge]

You could also keep the Gobie in a hang on breeder cup.....

 

[rogerwells]

i had one in an intake refuge....and hes so tiny that he escaped out of a little hole in the side of the tank....it took me a long time to net him in my 29 gallon...so i think i just have to wait it out sadly

 

[Timmy]

you can sex them by looking for their gonopods, or lack there-of.
If you see a pair of "kickstands" where i circled, then you've get yourself a boy....

Here are some better pics.
Female O. scyllarus

Male G. falcatus