setting up mantis tank

[JGoslee]

I am trying to find a small mantis to put in a 2-1/2 gal tank.What would be the best species for this size tank?Also how should I set up the tank?What are some good tank mates?Thank you for any help.

 

[ADHybrid]

IMO that is WAY too small for a mantis. I suggest at least a 12g for a mantis to be happy. In a 2 1/2 gallon tank you are REALLY restricted to what you can put in there. A 2 1/2 gallon is concidered a nano and should never be used for a mantis.

 

[orkspace]

well ... it depends on the species. While I personally wouldn't put an O. scyllarus in a tank smaller than 20g, there are *many* smaller species of stomatopods that would do just fine in a 2.5g tank. Finding them, however, might be difficult -- the best bet would be to see if other reefkeepers find small hitchhiking mantis shrimps in their fancy uncured live rock.

I know that Dr. Caldwell keeps many small stomatopod species in pint and quart styrofoam containers in his lab. Of course, he also has graduate student labor to help with all of the water changes.

 

[JGoslee]

I also have a 10gal and a 5gal.What should I put in the tank?Do I just set it up like a reef?I have other nano-reefs.Maybe I can just drop him in one of them.Any tank mates?

 

[JGoslee]

I decided that I am going to set up a 10gal.I am going to use 10 pounds of live rock to create a cave/burrow.I am going to have a 4 inch sandbed.The tank will be lit by 2x13watt pc.What would be the perfect mantis shrimp for this type of tank?

 

[ADHybrid]

You can go with a peacock or a g. smithii (which I currently have)

 

[teknopanda]

seems to me that mantis don't really like that much light though. they don't need reef lighting, unless u plan on growing some corals which they will repeatedly knock over. they really aren't the best houseguests. =] but very interesting to observe, when they finally come out for a jog