tank mates or dinner?

[leaffish75]

My mantis died but im going to get another soon. I want to put it in my 20L instead of the 7 gallon cube. I'm about to get rid of my leaffish so that leave me with 1 3inch dragon gobie (it has dub ahole under a piece of LR for a home) and 3 gobiosoma bosc. ( i caught these behind my house- there are 2 males and 1 female. plan on catching one more female). This tank is currently a coral tank with some fish. My main concern is what are the chances of any of my gobies becoming dinner?

 

[DensityMan]

My experience has been that the mantis will hide more often and perhaps even get harassed by the fish.

Others have had the opposite experience, or possibly the same experience gone too far, where the stomatopod finally tires of the harrassment and strikes back. In other words others have little luck due to the mantis lashing out due to extreme hunger, frustration or over territory.

I've watched 2 seperate small smashers for a good number of hours (one many more than that) and have never witnessed so much as a threat-display against a fish. /shrug

 

[jlovell]

I've watched 2 seperate small smashers for a good number of hours (one many more than that) and have never witnessed so much as a threat-display against a fish. /shrug

Why threaten dinner?

Jay

"Remember, Fish are Food, NOT Friends"

-- Quote from Anonymous Mantis Extra
overheard on Finding Nemo Set

 

[Uriel]

My small smasher (2") killed a green Chromis when the fish became too inquisitive. Prior to that, he ignored them, perhaps (as Density Man suggests) they made him a bit nervous.

In an off-topic note: A friend recently (we were drunk) told me that I should stop telling girls/bragging that I have a '2 inch Mantis Shrimp'...

Laughter-filled confirmation from 3 female friends has cemented this advice.


-Ron