Q's about setting up a mantis tank

[Klownfish]

I'm sure these same questions get asked *twice* daily, but I couldn't find my answers... Please direct me in the right direction if you don't want to answer them outright. No flammin please.

OK, I'm considering a Mantis, perhaps a Peacock, or another. I like social, whitty, outgoing types. I have a few questions about tanks...

I have a 14g Biocube, and a 29g Biocube, both new, and empty. Is the 29 big enough for a young Peacock? Are they the most intresting of the Mantis family? Or just colorful?

The smashing *thing*. Would this break the tank? Since it's empty, should I put acrylic on the botton, if one of these tanks is big enough? I was a little confused if this tank breakage was Urban Myth, or real fact?

Do Mantis do well with a DSB? How about rock slides? If they re-arrange the rock, can they cause harnm to themselves?

The Mantis would be the only occupant in the tank, bioload wise.

Thanks.

 

[J2FcM]

Peacocks are pretty social, give them PVC pipe homes or put acrylic on the bottom since they'll try to burrow through the bottom via smashing.
Smashing generally is no problem except for the largest of the smashers. Maybe a rather large peacock.
29 g should be good for a single peacock.
Other people here recommend the Purple Spotted mantis... a few posts beneath this one discusses other owners experiences.

 

[Klownfish]

OK, thanks, J2...

The PVC pipe answers the "rock slide" issue also. What size PVC? How long? should I make 'connector tunnels' under the sand? Can I use black or clear PVC?

 

[J2FcM]

generally people use a horseshoe design, and pile rubble and sand in around the piping... black or clear shouldn't matter if you pile stuff on it. I think its ugly, so turn it into a fun "camouflage the entrance!" project

not sure on the size honestly... A full grown peacock is like... 7-9inches long IMO, so... he's like 2-3inches wide at best? I'm sure a 3inch would be cozy for a mantis to grow into... but again my thought process is outlined above, hehe

 

[BuddhaKiss]

I used 2 inch pvc

 

[Klownfish]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13180902#post13180902 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by J2FcM
I'm sure a 3inch would be cozy for a mantis to grow into... but again my thought process is outlined above, hehe

Can you post a link? I wasn't having any luck with the search engine.

That's why I posted Q's I'm sure have been answered, already. I didn't find the info I was looking for in the "sticky"\'s" above.

 

[J2FcM]

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1446530


Idk about the search engine, but just sifting through the first 3 pages of recent posts will probably be enough to help you out a lot. There is only so much out there... basically... mantis likes burrows, mantis dont like other mantis (with like one exception --zebra mantis mated pair), mantis will attack your crustaceans, if they can't kill it now, they'll kill it later. And of course frog fish, trigger fish, and giant crustacean eating fish will generally kill your mantis.

one thing I wanted to tried was to keep an anenome + maroon clown with a smasher... check out youtube I believe its "Mantis shrimp baraka"