To Remove... Or Not to Remove...

[aberg12012]

Ok, so the "sand storm" is finally starting to settle a little, after a couple weeks. (Gerrr... ) So I started moving the 50 lbs of rock I got from www.reeferrocks.com around to get the sand off them.

After I got done I saw my first mantis. Although I've read plenty about them, and am thinking he's gunna have to go, I was actually kinda thinkin' he or she is cute! It was just wandering around on the sand bed, obviously bewildered by having just been shook from his home. It's not a very pretty one, looks like it's lacking any cool coloration, and it's about 3/4" long.

I'm assuming right now this thing probably poses no threat to any of my fish being that it's only about 3/4"? (List of fish below.)

I'm also assuming, that it will get bigger... big enough to pose a threat.

What fish I currently have in my other reef tank a purple tang, singapore angel, fire clown, and a madarin goby. The smallest of all of them is of coarse the goby, around 2". In addition to these, I would like to add some other reef dwelling fish in the new tank eventually.

So, with that said, I have heard arguments both ways about these things... Will it be worth the hassel trying to get it out of there? If I keep it fat on cocktail shrimp and things will it be fine in there? Would be neat to keep it... but it's not worth turning any of my other fish into hitch hiker food...

 

[Hwarang]

Hiya!

Answers:

1. Aggression. They are territorial in addition to predatory. Being full does not necessarily mean that it will be peaceful, but probably goes a long way to help that.

2. Colors. Juveniles are less colorful, probably for safety reasons

3. If you want inverts in your tank, such as snails and hermit crabs, you'd better get rid of it. Just look on seahorse.org for the DIY mantis trap made from a 20oz bottle, it's really easy.

 

[aberg12012]

Will do... thanks

 

[MFrance]

And before you flush it, if you decide not to keep it, there are tons of people online here who would love to take it off your hands. Including me!

 

[aberg12012]

Sure... anyone local?

 

[GoldWing]

Agerg, I was thinking about getting a Singapore! Do you have it in a Reef tank? How is it with your corals??????????

 

[aberg12012]

GoldWing... nice name. Owned 2 in my life so far, and taken them both out West. But now I switched to an interceptor, and I doubt I'll ever go back!

The Singapore... they are prone to nipping at corals, as you have probably been told. Let me confirm this... It's true. Some how, mine has grown out of it. I'm not sure if it's something I did, or if this is normal. When I first had it, I notticed it would pick at things I didn't want it to. Usually I would respond by tapping the glass... maybe this breaks their habbit, but I doubt it. I also try to offer romaine lettuce every now and then, which he (or she) picks on constantly untill its gone. Otherwise, I only feed the fish every couple days or so, which seems to work well to keep nitrates down.

 

[GoldWing]

Thanks aberg, I'll stay away from them for now.
89 Goldwing 1500,

 

[aberg12012]

Nice... I had a 82 1100 and a 97 1500. The 82 had a lot of spunk for such a big bike... Still nothing like my 2003 Interceptor though! This is my first street sport bike, and I'm actually quite pleased with it's comfort... not a bad compromise for something totally sporty.

Ok, so not to hijack my own thread!

Back to Mantis... So I was able to catch one the other day, and I put it in a little plastic "mini-bow" with HOB filter, and some reef rubble. He has so far just been hiding, and I don't get to see him unless I pick up his rock.

So... I found one. I assume this means there are probably more in the rock that I got? Where there is one, I would assume there are many.