ive had my smithii with a damsel for at least a month now and he seems to be ignoring the damsel, but id like to add a long nose hawkfish to the mix, but since hes a perching fish will he become a snack for my mantis? i plan on getting one at a decent size so its at least the same size of my mantis.
Smithii and hawkfish
- Thread starter nanomo
- Start date
lifemalfunction
New member
The general rule of thumb when it comes to putting livestock in with a mantis is this: Don't put anything in that would cause you to be upset if you lost either the Mantis or the other thing.
Many people post a week, "Can I put xxxxx in with my x species Mantis?"
Sure, you can. I wouldn't risk it, though. But that's just me. Several people have put in fish with their mantis and have been fine. Several have put fish in and had them eaten.
If you don't want to lose either the fish or the mantis, don't do it.
Many people post a week, "Can I put xxxxx in with my x species Mantis?"
Sure, you can. I wouldn't risk it, though. But that's just me. Several people have put in fish with their mantis and have been fine. Several have put fish in and had them eaten.
If you don't want to lose either the fish or the mantis, don't do it.
hawkfish prey on shrimp so if the mantis is small enough it could be in danger. alternatively, if the fish is small enough, the mantis may make dinner out of it. If you want fish in your tank, my suggestion would be to go for a fast water column dwelling fish. cheap isn't a bad thing either.
yeah thats why i was going to go long nose hawkfish as they generally only can take down smaller inverts. my mantis is around three inches so i dont think i have to worrk about any hawkfish harming him. id get a hawkfish almost the same size as my mantis. yeah i went cheap with my damsel as my demo fish and they cross paths and both are still alive so i was pleased with that. I was also thinking maybe a true perc pair but i was afraid because of their size
Well Im one the the..."lost the fish" guys! I had a purple gramma, full grown, and it lasted 2 days when I added my Smithii! It definitely depends on the mantis...I would think that if he is leaving one alone, you have a better shot of adding another, but a perching hawkfish would be easy target practice!!haha
G.SMITHII
New member
ive kept a fire fish in my tank w/ my smithii for more than a year now.
seems to be low on his eat me list.
my only input would be to keep your mantis fed.
i.e. provide the shrimp w/ easier meals than the fish.
select a fish that as ustinel suggested, a fish that wil spend its time in the water column, rather than like hop arond on the substrate infront of mr mantis.
ive found that my mantis is intellegent enough to distinguish between meales based on the effort required to actuall eat it.
i think this is why i still have a fish w/ my g.smithii
seems to be low on his eat me list.
my only input would be to keep your mantis fed.
i.e. provide the shrimp w/ easier meals than the fish.
select a fish that as ustinel suggested, a fish that wil spend its time in the water column, rather than like hop arond on the substrate infront of mr mantis.
ive found that my mantis is intellegent enough to distinguish between meales based on the effort required to actuall eat it.
i think this is why i still have a fish w/ my g.smithii
