Stocking Question Pseudosquilla ciliatta...

[erik2302]

I curently have a Pseudosquilla ciliatta (Malcolm), its bright yellow and about 2 to 2.5 inches long. its in a 55 gallon tank with a decent amount of live rock, 4-5" sand bed and he's currently with 4 small green chromis (food), 1 large serpent star, about 6 hermits and about 6 snails. I want to put a couple other things in there but I'm not sure what would be compatible...

Will he eat or be eaten by:
frogfish?
eels?
urchins?
starfish?
larger gobies?
Pistol Shrimp?
Crabs?


I realize some of those species may be borderline, but a list of other animals successfully kept with my species of spearer would be great. Also he seems to hide under one of his favorite rocks a bit, anything to get him a little more active? Any information on keeping Malcolm happy would be great...by the way the green chomis have been in there for about 4 days untouched...he ate a damsel I put in there almost right away, how often do they eat? Any input you might have (roy?! ) would be great...

 

[gunslingerone9]

hey man i am not dr roy but an urchin seems fine any starfish that likes the glass but to go pistol/gobie is not a smooth move they will bump into each other eventually and that will be a blood bath and i have money on the matis. if you went with fish like cardinals that swim and stay middle to top of the tank that would be fine. your best bet with not going into everything would to put him in a ten by itself.

 

[DensityMan]

From Roy's list (Pseudosquilla ciliata):

Cohabitants: Will prey on small fish and shrimp; generally safe with gastropods and large crabs

 

[Uriel]

My P. cilata are very aggressive, and they go after any fish that I add immediately (Food fish, yes, but still). Likewise (To the poster above as well), fish that stay up in the water column (Cardinals)are generally more safe from smasher mantis. P. cilata hunts fish, and neither of mine is shy about free swimming all over the tank.I wouldn't give a cardinal an icecube's chance in Hell of survivng in a P. cilata tank (I really like Cards, btw...) P. cilata also stalk and lurk about like a little marine leopard (Which is great fun to watch), and will ambush anything that they think that they can take down.Large eels would be safer, but then again, they would most likely eat your mantis, and get some nasty slashes in turn. Go with stars, hermits, crabs. Gobies are lunch, and I wouldn't put any money on a pistol shrimp (Although either one could damage the other, and you don't want that in the tank).

Good luck,

-Uriel/Ron

 

[erik2302]

Thanks for the responses guys...Yeah I'm not sure why I even put gobies/pistols on there....heheh but yeah mine is not nearly as aggressive as yours sounds, maybe its just not hungry but it doesnt free swim at all really, spends most of its time hiding in its favorite burrow. So far its eaten, one damsel and one peppermint shrimp but the 4 small green chromis I put in there haven't been touched. How often do you feed yours Uriel? I'll probably just leave it in there until I get a smaller tank set up for it.

Erik

 

[Uriel]

I feed them every other day or so. Either live guppies (Which aren't as bas a goldfish), ghost shrimp, or thawed shrimp/scallop. One of mine hides a lot, but it stalks the food critters. The other just shoots out there and attacks.


-Uriel/Ron