types

[Scoobaman17]

I have a friend that has a yellow mantis thats about 3 inches long in a 10 gallon glass aquarium. I know the peacock green mantis can break glass but can the yellow? Also I saw a "purple" mantis at my LFS. Sorta iridescent with very nice purple coloration near the tail. Also about 3 inches long. Could that break a 10 gallon glass tank?

Thanks everyone for all your help!
~Chase

 

[Gonodactylus]

The yellow individual sounds like Pseudosquilla ciliata, a spearer that can't break even thin glass.

I would have to see the purple species to ID it for you, but unless it is a super smasher such as G. chiragra, the tank is probably safe.

Roy

 

[Scoobaman17]

Yeah I searched google, that is the yellow mantis i was talking about. Thanks!

 

[justinl]

On Dr. Roy's stomatopod list (see sticky) there's a mantis that is commonly called the purple-spotted mantis (G. smithii). The "purple spotted" part refers to a part of the mantis separate from the tail, but it's the only one I know that has "purple" in its common name. Got a pic?

 

[Pea-brain]

If it is a smithii, and is cheap, I would suggest you pic it up if you are the least bit interested. do your research, and if you want it, get it. The smithii is sorta the creme de' le creme (spelling?) of mantis shrimp around here

 

[Scoobaman17]

This is similar if not identical to the "purple mantis" I am referring to.

 

[Scoobaman17]

Can a peacock mantis break a ten gallon glass tank? Seems to have pretty thick glass compared to a 12 nano and I have heard peacocks being kept in 12 nanos???

 

[mattyice]

the purple mantis you saw looks to be an H. Californiensis (SP?)not a very good mantis for captivity and is the largest smasher species, you can keep a peacock in a 10G tank if it is below 3.5" anything larger then that and if it gets ****ed off and someone is teasing it on the other side of the glass it will break it, Dr. Roy stated that he kept a 6" male in a plywood tank with a very thick double pane glass front (if i read it correctly) and he was teasing it for an interview and it broke the glass it was so powerful