Tank Divided

[Ab3]

I want to divide my tank for two mantis shrimp. Im gonna put a thick piece of plastic in but where should i drill the holes??

 

[Aqua_expert19]

near the top i would assume or you could do small holes throughout the whole thing

 

[Thurge]

I would do 1/4" holes all over in a grid pattern.

 

[Ab3]

Wouldnt they be able to see eachother?

 

[Gonodactylus]

There are lots of different versions of tank dividers that we use. Much of it depends on the size of the stomatopods, how the tank is plumbed and it size, and how much you are concerned with aesthetics. I like to maintain maximum circulation and current, so for O. scyllarus in tanks over 40 gal we use egg crate dividers The O. s usually can break through them, so tie a piece of plexiglass strip (usually 3 or 4 inches high to to the bottom. This provides maximum flow and allows them to interact which I feel stimulates them and keeps them active.

For smaller animals in smaller tanks we use plexi with 3/16th inch holes drilled in a grid pattern every 3/4". (That is a lot of drilling!). I also have some pressed polypropylene chip material that was used by Instant Ocean for their sub-gravel filters. Great stuff and very porous, but I can't find it anymore, so I guard what I have. If anyone knows what I'm talking about and has a source, please let me know.

Make sure that your intake and outflow are on opposite sides of the partition and I usually install at least two powerheads, one in each side.

Roy

 

[Pea-brain]

Adding on to what everyone else is said if you have intertidal mantises, such as G. smithii make sure that there are preventions to keep them from climbing over the barrier.

Dan

 

[Ab3]

I have an O.H. and am planing to get a "lime green" mantis from liveaquaria so I dont know what species it is. Thx for all the info guys

 

[Ab3]

I just wanna make sure, its ok if they see eachother? what if they hit the plexi glass will they get hurt?

 

[Gonodactylus]

They quickly learn not to fight through the plexi.

Roy

 

[Ab3]

what about those dividers one can buy at an lfs? Its a clear plastic sheet.

 

[Alatriel]

We used 2 sheets of plexi drilled with holes to seperate our male and female O.S. They actually mated right through the holes.

 

[Ab3]

really thats crazy

 

[Alatriel]

Yup surprised me as well. Looked in her hole to see her carrying around an eggsack. Unfortunatly the Neon Dottyback that was in there with her ate most of them. Maybe that's why she ate all the fish that was on her side of the tank.

 

[Ab3]

did any of them survive?

 

[Alatriel]

Sadly none made it.

 

[Ab3]

o