will mantis eat coral?

[blackheart]

Ihave a mantis shrimp and i am thinking about setting him/her up in a 12 gallon nano cube but i have coral in the nano zoas mushies and a couple micros. I was just wondering if any one has had trouble with thier mantis eating such things

thanks

 

[blackheart]

PS: is a glass tank ok for a mantis. It is bright green about 1/2 inch in size and from roy's IDs i dont think it is going to get real big.

 

[30mini]

I don't think he will eat the coral, but he may rearrange them to his liking. So, don't be surprised if they are in the sandbed covered in sand, or moved and used for a door!
Can you get a picture so we can get a positive ID on the little bugger? That would help you in deciding how big a tank he needs!

 

[blackheart]

G. Viridis http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthro...?name=g_viridis

this is him i am pretty positive. Very small now but just a baby. Eats like crazy and swims around the tank. Sometimes i wonder who is watching who with this guy.

Another question i have it how aggressive are they. Will he Smack me while i am trying to rearrange coral in the tank when he is older. Or will he do what he is doing now which is run to his cave and hide?

Thanks a lot for your help

 

[30mini]

If it is a G. Viridis... he is only going to get a little bigger than 2" so a 12 gal nano will be fine. It says to house in a 20Liter tank! Anyways, if he feels threatened he will strike you, so always watch where he is while rearranging anything in your tank. You are much larger than he, so he will feel threatened whenever you have your hand in the tank. So, if he is adventurous, then he will always be out looking for something to eat or play with. If he always runs to his burrow and hides, than that's okay, but watch putting your hand near his burrow!

 

[Gonodactylus]

No worries about an animal this small. It will take two or three years to reach a size that could move your corals around significantly and it will never be a problem regarding glass breakage.

Roy

 

[blackheart]

Great guys well he is on his way to a new home its will be a a few weeks for the tank to cycle in the rock work but i think we will both be happier with his new set up!!!!

And i will get picture asap

 

[blackheart]

Anyway you recomend setting up the LR so i will be able to see him as often as i do now?

 

[mickey85]

make sure that he can't set up shop at the back of your tank - make sure any LR piles toward the back (where you can't see all 360* of them) are completely shoved to the back, so he can't build a tunnel back there. otherwise, that's probably what's giong to happen.

 

[mattyice]

he will most likely build a tunnel with two entrances anyways, with no other danger in an aquarium he will relize it will be the best option for him