"Reef-safe" mantis?

[CoreyK]

As the reality of setting up a proper reef tank (ie. cost) sets in, I am weighing my stocking options. Simply put, I'm not sure if I can afford a tank full of corals (I'm a poor college student), but I still want an interesting tank.
One of the first things that popped into my mind was keeping a mantis shrimp, as they've always fascinated me, and I actually find them quite amusing.

The tank is a cycled 20g with ~20-25lbs of LR, a few inches of sandbed, 65w 50/50 PC, several powerheads, and I just set up an Eheim canister filter. I'm in the market for a skimmer at the moment.
Inhabiting the tank is a clean up crew of ~12 snails, 9 hermits and a peppermint shrimp.
It's basically reef-ready (minus a skimmer), I just haven't pulled the trigger on corals yet. I planned on keeping basic, hardy corals, ie. shrooms, xenia, zoas etc.

Basically, I'm wondering; are there any species of stomatopod that have the potential not to harm corals or a clean up crew?
I'm of course aware that temperaments vary and nothing is certain, but are there any species considered docile enough to work in such a tank?
Any input is appreciated,
Thanks!

 

[justinl]

For coral-safe mantids, pretty much any of the smaller ones. Only thing to keep in mind is that you have to secure all frags to something the mantis can't move... general conservative rule of thumb is to secure it to a rock at least as big as the mantis. Big guns are a bit more complicated in the whole "reef-safe" respect imo. no matter what you get, the shrimp will be toast. If you get a small spearer like P. ciliata the snails and hermits will probably be left alone. Smaller mantids can't handle thick shelled prey so larger turbos for example should be fine in that case.

For example, I have a G. smithii in my nano reef and it has been stellar. I even have a turbo in there as my sole surviving CUC...

 

[Pea-brain]

P. ciliata as long as there are no fish. Will most likely kill normal crabs, shrimp, and fish but generally lives corals alone as long as they arent on the sand bed (will bury them) needs a 3" or so sand bed. Very active and can be quite colorful

Dan