Aquarium suggestions

[Gahngoo]

I've been doing a lot of research on setting up a proper peacock mantis tank. I'm pulling my hair out on deciding between glass & acrylic.

I plan to have him/her at full adult size so I'm concerned about the tank cracking from a mantis strike.

My requirements:
Corner tank (prefer a pentagon or bowfront).
40-60 gallons or so.
Prefer reef ready.
Prefer glass over acrylic.

Any suggestions? Would I be okay with a 54G corner glass bowfront?

Or this..

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

I know acrylic is more likely to take a beating from the mantis and not shatter. I think you are more likely to find a glass aquarium in the corner styles, but you may also be able to reach out to a custom acrylic tank maker and see what they could do, I would go with a style like the bottom picture since I've heard of acrylic getting tiny stress/thermal fractures over time if it is curved, and I can attest to that as well since my first reef tank was a curved corner acrylic tank and it had a series of tiny fractures at the curves after a year or so of use.

 

[Gahngoo]

I know acrylic is more likely to take a beating from the mantis and not shatter. I think you are more likely to find a glass aquarium in the corner styles, but you may also be able to reach out to a custom acrylic tank maker and see what they could do, I would go with a style like the bottom picture since I've heard of acrylic getting tiny stress/thermal fractures over time if it is curved, and I can attest to that as well since my first reef tank was a curved corner acrylic tank and it had a series of tiny fractures at the curves after a year or so of use.

Okay. I'll see what I can find. I kinda wonder if I'm over-thinking the aquarium selection part a bit?!?

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

Okay. I'll see what I can find. I kinda wonder if I'm over-thinking the aquarium selection part a bit?!?

I wouldn't worry about overthinking it, proper planning prevents poor performance

 

[ritter6788]

I haven’t seen a tank smashed by a stomatopod ever. Set up the tank you want and roll with it.

 

[Gahngoo]

I haven’t seen a tank smashed by a stomatopod ever. Set up the tank you want and roll with it.

It'd be my luck I'd be the one with the broken tank though. I found a local aquarium builder who said it would be around $300 to build it out of 3/8 acrylic. I think that's a fair price.

 

[mohican]

I admire the amount of thought that you are putting into the new home for your mantis. I have kept a peacock in the past and I am thinking about keeping another. You should not have to worry about the tank. Whatever you decide enjoy the mantis.

 

[Gahngoo]

I admire the amount of thought that you are putting into the new home for your mantis. I have kept a peacock in the past and I am thinking about keeping another. You should not have to worry about the tank. Whatever you decide enjoy the mantis.

Thanks. I take good care of all my critters. I'm in it for the long haul. Lots of research in the beginning makes things easier down the road.

 

[Shabalaba]

Mantis shrimp breaking aquarium glass in a complete myth. I have yet to see any evidence of it happening in an age where people take pictures of everything. However, i think either aquarium selection will be just fine. I would simply go with the best option for you, the mantis will enjoy any tank that size. I've kept two peacocks now, my first in a 40g breeder, and my current one is in a 100g reef

 

[Gahngoo]

Mantis shrimp breaking aquarium glass in a complete myth. I have yet to see any evidence of it happening in an age where people take pictures of everything. However, i think either aquarium selection will be just fine. I would simply go with the best option for you, the mantis will enjoy any tank that size. I've kept two peacocks now, my first in a 40g breeder, and my current one is in a 100g reef

How big were the peacocks?

 

[Shabalaba]

How big were the peacocks?

The female peacock I had in the 40g is still in that 40g at about 7 inches. I gave the whole setup to my dad when I moved across the country and he still has it. It's been running for 14 years now, mantis included. The male peacock I have now is about 6 inches in a 100g mixed reef and I've had him for 2 years.

 

[Gahngoo]

The female peacock I had in the 40g is still in that 40g at about 7 inches. I gave the whole setup to my dad when I moved across the country and he still has it. It's been running for 14 years now, mantis included. The male peacock I have now is about 6 inches in a 100g mixed reef and I've had him for 2 years.

What's the main appearance & behavioral differences between the make & female peacocks they you've observed, if any?

 

[Shabalaba]

What's the main appearance & behavioral differences between the make & female peacocks they you've observed, if any?

So it's hard to say if these differences stem from being opposite sex, or if its just because they are different individuals, but this is my experience.

The male has brighter and more defined coloration. This is more noticeable on the tail and "face" detail. He is quite docile and tolerates a good cast of tank mates. He can get pretty ornery before and after molts though.

The female, while still beautiful, does seem to be more dull in appearance. She is very active, and hasn't bothered the 2 clowns or forktail blenny that live with her. She does, however, kill everything else.

Both are under t5 reef lighting, both have large, dark burrows. Neither of them were interested in a pvc burrow, and constructed there own, which they are constantly renovating.

The female, being much older, molts about twice a year and it takes her much longer to go through the molting cycle now. The male molts about every other month now and is still slowly growing.

 

[Gahngoo]

So it's hard to say if these differences stem from being opposite sex, or if its just because they are different individuals, but this is my experience.

The male has brighter and more defined coloration. This is more noticeable on the tail and "face" detail. He is quite docile and tolerates a good cast of tank mates. He can get pretty ornery before and after molts though.

The female, while still beautiful, does seem to be more dull in appearance. She is very active, and hasn't bothered the 2 clowns or forktail blenny that live with her. She does, however, kill everything else.

Both are under t5 reef lighting, both have large, dark burrows. Neither of them were interested in a pvc burrow, and constructed there own, which they are constantly renovating.

The female, being much older, molts about twice a year and it takes her much longer to go through the molting cycle now. The male molts about every other month now and is still slowly growing.

That's pretty interesting. Where did you buy them? We're you able to pick male or female (presuming it was an online purchase)?

 

[Shabalaba]

That's pretty interesting. Where did you buy them? We're you able to pick male or female (presuming it was an online purchase)?

The female I got back in the day at a LFS. The male I ordered through saltwaterfish.com as a "large peacock mantis". He arrived in really good condition at about 3.5 inches.

Currently there isn't an online retailer that consistently has mantis shrimp. If you are looking to go that route, I would contact your preferred retailer and see if they can get you one (they almost always can) but I really doubt you'll have a choice in gender. They aren't overly easy to specify, especially when they are younger.

 

[Gahngoo]

The female I got back in the day at a LFS. The male I ordered through saltwaterfish.com as a "large peacock mantis". He arrived in really good condition at about 3.5 inches.

Currently there isn't an online retailer that consistently has mantis shrimp. If you are looking to go that route, I would contact your preferred retailer and see if they can get you one (they almost always can) but I really doubt you'll have a choice in gender. They aren't overly easy to specify, especially when they are younger.

That's what I've read. Seems that many retailers seem to label all mantis shrimp as "peacocks".

 

[Shabalaba]

That's what I've read. Seems that many retailers seem to label all mantis shrimp as "peacocks".

Yea I've seen a lot of misidentification, and anything with color is a peacock lol... saltwaterfish.con and liveaquaria usually have decent marine biologists who can help you out sometimes with whether or not they can get you a specific sex.