I've posted numerous times on this site discussing the ability of various species and sizes of stomatopods to break tanks. I've kept literally thousands of stomatopods and while aqurium breakage is rare, it does happen. The most spectacular case I have ever seen was years ago when a very large 7 inch O. scyllarus female took out the face plate of a 35 gal. Instant Ocean. These were epoxy coated wood with a glass viewing port in the front. Because the systems had a built in compressor for refrigeration, they used double glazing for the window to cut down on condensation. For some reason, perhaps because she saw her reflection, the animal struck the window in the middle and broke a small hole with a crack running the length of it.
Most damage occurs when the animals try to dig and run into the bottom edge of the aquarium. In the field, O. scyllarus typically burrow and when digging, if they run into a shell, etc., they break it. They try the same thing in a tank and sometimes are successful in chipping the edge causing a leak. I have seen one a few tanks shattered, but I have seen many more drain dry because the stomatopod chipped a corner or bottom edge.
As a rule of thumb, I only consider 4-5 inch O. scyllarus, 10 inch + Hemisquilla, and very large 4 inch Gonodactylus chiragra or G. graphurus capable of doing in a standard 10 - 20 gal tank. Larger tanks typically made of thicker glarss should be fine.
Roy
