Questions about a mantis

Evyllchyld

Evyllchyld

Trying again
Well, today I fell in love with a mantis at my LFS and decided to setup a small 10 gallon tank. Its a PURE yellow mantis that I saw. First of can you guys give me and idea of what it would be worth??? They are charging a rediculous price of $80, I asked another LFS and they said they'll hold all there mantis shrimp for me when they get there LR shipment and will sell me w/e one I want for $10(I believe its FL LR so the mantis will be coming from there) Can anyone give me any info on these type of mantis shrimp? My LFS said he has a 10 gal and has a TON of sand because they like making there own caves in the sand. I have a filter and this tank will be just for the mantis obviously. I'm just wondering if anyone can give me some tips, or basic information about what to feed them or w/e. I have a pretty good idea of the needs/care of a mantis but nothing compares to first hand experience. So i'm hoping you guys can just give any suggestions or help. I believe this is the type of
mantis shrimp
Thanks,
-Brian
 
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There are several yellow stomaotpods, but the only one that commonly shows up in shipments is Pseudosquilla ciliata. This species occurs in many colors and patterns, but the solid yellow frequently shows up from Bali. It is a spearer that gets to 9 cm. While they live on sand flats, they have trouble digging in loose, clean sand.

Roy
 
This is a species that likes to roam around. I would suggest at least a 10 gal. They could live in a tank with less water, but it is really the width and length that is important, not the height.

P. ciliata are very tolerant of lighting conditions. They are found from the intertidal down to 40 m, so anything from ambient to bright will do.

Roy
 
Is there any species that could fit in anything between 2.5-5gal? I know someoen on here that has one in a 4 or 6 gal, I can't remember. I'd REALLY like to be able to keep it on my comp desk.
 
Well, lemme explain further. I was talking to a guy who works at my LFS. He's seemed to be dead on the money with all the other info hes given me so far with my other tank. (I sorta quized him with the info I picked up on RC) He says he has 3 friends who all have mantis shrimps in 2.5g tanks. He said the kind that he gets in with the LR from florida like as fine of sand as you can get, that they'll still be able to burrow and make there tunnels. And I've wanted a mantis shrimp for a while and decided tonight that I was going to do it. I figured a 2.5g would be fine, because another LFS has a mantis shrimp in a 3g tank setup also.
 
Just because other people have a mantis shrimp in a 2.5 gallon gank and everything seems to be going fine, doesn't mean that a 2.5 gallon is the proper size for the mantis....There are several different species and many require different size tanks. Dr Roy has studied mantis shimps for a long long time...I think I would take his advice rather than what the LFS keeps their mantis in. Just my 2 cents.
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthropoda/crustacea/malacostraca/eumalacostraca/royslist/
 
Make sure im not doing my math wrong but a 20 L is about 5.5g? So the could be in a 5 gallon tank well some of them could anyways. Yeah fish belong in the ocean we all understand that but a decent size tank would ok. Just do a little research before jumping the gun and you will be fine and your little friend too. :D
 
Taking the word of an LFS employee vs. Dr. Roy is like listening to the kid who's good in biology at high school instead of your physician.
 
Well, i could get away with a 5.5g tank in the future, but if I get it while its real small is there a problem with keeping it in a 2.5g? I'm also not exactly sure on the type of species, I won't know untill I get it home and post pics.
 
Just pick up a 10gal tank. The $10 you'll pay is well worth it. You can use the same filtration/powerheads you were planning on using with the 2.5 gal.
 
Something to keep in mind is that evaporatin in a 2.5 gallon tank will change the salinity very quickly. I would say that if you don't top off at least ever single day you could very well run the risk of loosing your mantis. With a 10 you could at least have a weekend that you could go and not worry about the tank salinity.
 
Please, take it from somebody who tried keeping a very small species of mantis in a 2.5. DON'T DO IT. Unless your mantis stays 1" long, the tank is just too small. I still have my 2.5 up and running, but the only thing in it other than coral is a small snail. I have top off the thing every day to keep the SG from fluctuating too much. Also, mantis are way too messy for such a small tank. Quite honestly, I wouldn't keep anything in a 2.5 other than maybe a sexy shrimp. Trust me, I've had this 2.5 for more than 6 months and that is enough to know how hard they are.
 
I keep my N. wennera in a 5 gal, with 7 lbs of LR, he has a plethora of complex tunnels and caveds made out of several pieces of tonga branch I have constructed into a "Mantis Castle"! My friend has he Oerstedii in a 10 gal with a saddle back clown, and they get a long great! they even play tag together sometimes! usually the mantis is more afraid of the clown than the other way around!
 
Alright guys, I've decided to go with a 5.5g and with a N. wennera. I talked to ray and thats what he suggested. Just thought i'd let you guys know. Also, does anyone have one for sale?
 
Thanks! i was wondering what site you guys were talking about :P. My LFS is getting LR from florida in next week. I'm going to wait till then atleast to see what they get. If they don't get any, then i'll buy online for sure.
 
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