Research before purchase

[jc8745]

Ok, i'll try and keep this short for now.

I have a 55 reef tank.
I also have a 125 reef ready tank that i am just now starting to build out and setup. Its going to take me at least 9 months before the 125 is completed and established. Once it is i am moving the rock, corals and fish from the 55 to 125.

I will move some of the rock from the 125 to 55 to replace the rock that will be taken out because of corals attached to them.

Once all that is done, my plan is to make the 55 a mantis tank.
The tank is 55g, siphon overflow, drain splits into a refugium with macro algae, and a wet/dry filter, a siphon takes water from the refugium into the return area on the wet dry. I have seaclone 150 protien skimmer, and coralife PC lights. There is 2 maxijet 12oo power heads.


What i want to do is research mantis until i am ready to purchase and house it. So a few questions

So how many mantis can i do in this setup ?
I was wondering if i could do 2, maybe male female of a species ?

What species does everyone like ?

Will i need the powerheads in the mantis tank, or can i use them in the 125 and save me some money from buying new ones for the 125 ?

I'm sure i will have more questions, just cant think of them all right now.

 

[Pea-brain]

OKay. In that setup you can house 1 peacock mantis (very active, alot of personality, interactive, can get up to 7") 2 N. wennerae (only 3". A rock burrower. Active, but sticks to the rocks. Won't really stand out in a 55.) 1 P. ciliata (active spearer. Can be very colorful from mottled to bright yellow. Not terribly interactive but vary active and fun to watch stalk prey) a mated pair of L. macs (Would be very hard to find a female, need a foot deep sand bed, not terribly active at all) or 1 O. havenensis (VERY active, comical looking, Only 3" but worth every inch. Only lives 3 years and needs very good water quality. a small sand storm could spell death)

Keep in mind the only reason I say you can keep 2 N. wenneraes is because they will have enough room to stake their own territory and *most likely* won't kill eachother. Those are probably your best choices for species. mantises need water movement. If you have enough water movement without the powerhead you can take them out. Mantises can be kept with corals BTW. Just make sure they are well secured so the mantis won't steal them. Also peacocks and O. havenensis shoudln't have really strong light. They are from deeper waters.

Dan

 

[dragonette]

Re: Research before purchase

Originally posted by jc8745
Ok, i'll try and keep this short for now.

I have a 55 reef tank.
I also have a 125 reef ready tank that i am just now starting to build out and setup. Its going to take me at least 9 months before the 125 is completed and established. Once it is i am moving the rock, corals and fish from the 55 to 125.


I will move some of the rock from the 125 to 55 to replace the rock that will be taken out because of corals attached to them.

Once all that is done, my plan is to make the 55 a mantis tank.
The tank is 55g, siphon overflow, drain splits into a refugium with macro algae, and a wet/dry filter, a siphon takes water from the refugium into the return area on the wet dry. I have seaclone 150 protien skimmer, and coralife PC lights. There is 2 maxijet 12oo
power heads.
****sounds like a good setup to keep water condition optimal for your mantis, and good enough to keep corals too- so your mantis can live in a PRETTY tank

What i want to do is research mantis until i am ready to purchase and house it. So a few questions

So how many mantis can i do in this setup ?
I was wondering if i could do 2, maybe male female of a species ?

****as stated before, one is safer than two, and there are many out there that are 'worth every inch'

What species does everyone like ?

****I love my peacock mantis, he/she (not sure yet lol ) is VERY active and has great personality. He is always out and about sometimes even just 'swimming' around it seems plus he is o-so-very-pretty

Will i need the powerheads in the mantis tank, or can i use them in the 125 and save me some money from buying new ones for the 125 ?

****you do need 'movement' in your mantis tank although mantis can live in a variety of water conditions. you want to give enough flow to avoid algae/cyano and also enough to allow versatility so you can add some basic corals later on if you want to. It doesnt have to be anything extravagant but dont let it be stagnant either

I'm sure i will have more questions, just cant think of them all right now.





Sounds like alot of fun! I think alot of finding the mantis for you comes luck. Either you see one you fall in love with or one that has the cutest little personality- or so it seems Setting up the tank is alot of fun because hes gonna move everything he can anyway and somethings you wouldnt think he can haha! Good Luck!

 

[Joel A]

with a tank that big id be tempted to go L mac. personally. Only because they are so huge and awesome during feeding time.

Thing is though, they arent very active otherwise, and can be hard to find. Also need a deep sand bed.