"Smasher" Mantis & Jawfish: Compatible?

[Dave Legacy]

I've been doing some reading and it sounds like if you have a "smasher" species of mantis shrimp that sometimes you can have fish tankmates. I was wondering if I'd be able to pull off housing a small "smasher" mantis shrimp along side a Yellowhead Jawfish. It seems that the tank would be suitable for both species, or will it definetly end in tragedy?

I keep a puffer so I understand what it's like to gamble with tankmates, but some are more suitable than others. Mixing aggressive species can cancel out risks, introducing one before the other, maintaining tankmates of only like sizes, etc. Might any of this apply here?

I was thinking maybe because the jawfish is pretty laid back and keeps to itself in it's burrow most of the time they might ignore eachother. Or maybe they'd start invading eachothers burrows and result in a dead jawfish.

Opinons and imput are welcome!
Thanks in Advance,
Dave Legacy

 

[Thurge]

I tried a Yellow Watchman Gobie with an N.wennera and it didn't end pretty. I'm inclined to believe that it was because of a substatial size difference between them, with the mantis bigger. Since i keep fish with all my mantis I would try it agan with a big gobie, but I still feel a little guilty.

 

[Gonodactylus]

The number of variables related to keeping fish and stomatopods together is so large that no one can really predict the outcome of a placing a particular stomatopod with a specific fish. Relative size of the animals, size, shape, number and location of refugia, alternative diet, molt cycle, etc all play a roll as do individual difference in behavior.

While two animals may coexist for months, the stomatopod is a predator and there is always the chance that it will attack. If people are willing to take the risk, one positive is that one of the animals may get a good meal out of it. Lots of people write me and say that they have successfully kept fish A with stomatopod B. Few comment when it ends badly. On the reef there are lots of stomatopods and fish coexisting. You can go on safari and see lions and buffalo close to one another, That doesn't mean that lions don't eat buffalo or that buffalo don't occasionally eat lions. Furthermore, if you put them in a small enclosure, the change of injure and death increases. Same with stomatopods and fish. Even if you find the perfect size match that results in a standoff, the stomatopod has a weapon that can inflict major damage to fish much larger than it is. Wrong place - wrong time and the the stomatopod can strike defensively. In nature, the results are quickly cleaned up and are part of the food web. In the aquarium, the results are not pretty.

Roy

 

[Uriel]

"or that buffalo don't occasionally eat lions..."

Um, Dr. Roy...Buffalo are vegitarians.
I am being a smartass, as I know that you meant 'kill lions', which they do.

On this subject (sort of), I have seen some photos of spearers living in a burrow with tiny little shrimp, in a few cases with 4 or 5 of these little shrimp hanging out with the mantis, even sitting on them.
Do you know (A) the species, and (B) anything else regarding this symbiosis?


-Ron

 

[Gonodactylus]

Yeah, I should have said "stomp, gore, kick lions".

Roy

 

[Uriel]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7759277#post7759277 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Gonodactylus
Yeah, I should have said "stomp, gore, kick lions".

Roy

Don't forget 'rush en masse and run lions up a tree or into a river'.

I have seen some pretty funny/amazing footage of buffalo (And wildebeast) doing that to whole packs of lions. Sort of like the big (Non-aggressive) kid in the schoolyard just saying 'Enough!' to the little bully who steals his lunch money.


-Ron

 

[Frozen Roadkill]

My Wennerae lives in peace with my yellow coris wrasse and has for a while now. Though my mantis wont even eat hermit crabs.

It can kind of depend on the mantis itself. Iv seen horribly mean peacocks for example, and some that are very docile.

 

[JmLee]

lol its funny. i have a 4inch female peacock that is so docile that i can hand feed her no problem. I recently purchased a green carpet anenome and last night i got a pair of clarkii clowns. They are now hosting the anenome and doing great. So i hope this combo will work out in the end..

 

[Dave Legacy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7765428#post7765428 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JmLee
lol its funny. i have a 4inch female peacock that is so docile that i can hand feed her no problem. I recently purchased a green carpet anenome and last night i got a pair of clarkii clowns. They are now hosting the anenome and doing great. So i hope this combo will work out in the end..

Keep me posted on that. My wife wants an anemone and clown to put in this mantis tank and I'm not so convinced that it's a good idea, unless the anemone provides enough protection. Good luck to you!

 

[JmLee]

lol Dave, i will keep you posted. I do realise that it is a bit of a risk, and to be honest, my mantis has taken a few curious looks ever since the pair moved in. Ill let ya know.