Some help before I make an impulse buy.

[ItouchedThebutt]

Just walked into my LFS and they have an awesome mantis shrimp for sale. Hes about 3" light brown body, red feathers/finage and is a smashed. Would like to set up a dedicated 10 gallon I have for him. But have no idea what species it is for size.. also I would have to set up my 10 gallon and cycle it. I can put live already cycled rock in it to jump start it just need sand.. I've done that with fish before and it worked just fine. Also need a light. Preferable a cheap one cause it would be just him.

Kinda asking to see if people will either encourage and help me or talk me out of a mistake Haha thanks in advance.

 

[Jaysin13]

Step #1 - get a positive ID on the species. Unfortunately I cannot help you with this. I have a peacock but am not very versed on other species.

A light is not needed at all so that's not a big deal. If the species is ok with a 10g I say get it! Post pics! Peacock needs a much larger tank so I have a 40 breeder for mine but some can be in a 10g I think.

 

[ItouchedThebutt]

Ipp see if the LFS has a species name on it..

 

[Jaysin13]

Ipp see if the LFS has a species name on it..

I would definitely still search and compare to what they say. I've heard a lot of stories about lfs mislabeling them or not really knowing the species. Calling everything a peacock mantis or whatever.

 

[ItouchedThebutt]

Even so the size he is know is small for a 10 gallon.. are they typically fast growers?

 

[ItouchedThebutt]

Even so the size he is know is small for a 10 gallon.. are they typically fast growers?

 

[Jaysin13]

Even so the size he is know is small for a 10 gallon.. are they typically fast growers?

Idk what species it is. Some are fine in a 10g and he could be full grown. Idk. My mantis is about 6" and a 30 or 40 breeder is recommended for them for the footprint. A bigger footprint is more important than total water volume for them.

We do know he's a smasher type which means he doesn't need a crazy deep sand bed like a spearer type would need. He would need a burrow or cave. PVC or black abs pipe is recommended. You want it about 2x their width in pipe diameter. Just enough to turn around in. Also twice their length. Make it U shaped to a degree.

Do you know much about them at all?

 

[KrisReef]

You come on here and ask reef crazed addict peeps to talk yourself into doin something rational at a LFS?
Hahahaha, upgrade the 10 to 2000,

 

[ItouchedThebutt]

I know the basics. Like the sand bed needs to be deep cause they burrow and I knew about the PVC but not the size of it that actually helps. I was gonna do like a T shape PVC design if it would work. I know they are general reef levels and stuff far as parameters are. I have a 60 gallon reef with cycled media and all that. I know they eat crabs and snails but I think I would like to do clams on a half shell or some large mysis or something. My LFS has some red looking mysis that are about dime size? Just cause I dont like the whole feeding live food thing.. other then that that's all I need.

 

[Jaysin13]

I know the basics. Like the sand bed needs to be deep cause they burrow and I knew about the PVC but not the size of it that actually helps. I was gonna do like a T shape PVC design if it would work. I know they are general reef levels and stuff far as parameters are. I have a 60 gallon reef with cycled media and all that. I know they eat crabs and snails but I think I would like to do clams on a half shell or some large mysis or something. My LFS has some red looking mysis that are about dime size? Just cause I dont like the whole feeding live food thing.. other then that that's all I need.

Cool. Also light needs to be dim/weak. I feed clams on half shell and frozen krill. My dude does get a big emerald crab every weekend though.... I've read if they dont use their clubs they'll lose em. I dont mind feeding live though...

Sounds like you know what's up.

 

[Jaysin13]

They are great. I love my guy. Here's a couple pics of him.

 

[ItouchedThebutt]

I dont like the idea of live feeding just cause I cant QT the food before hand is all. And recommendations on cheap lighting over a 10 gallon nuvo

 

[ItouchedThebutt]

This one isn't as pretty as that but I love his skirts or whatever they are. Cause hes all deep red and the back tail has 2 little spots on them.

 

[Jaysin13]

This one isn't as pretty as that but I love his skirts or whatever they are. Cause hes all deep red and the back tail has 2 little spots on them.

Like I said previously no light needed at all... when I first set this tank up I had a 65w equivalent CFL bulb over it. You want the light weak. I now use 2 current led bars but they are high up and set to very low settings.

 

[Jaysin13]

This was my first light. 65w equivalent CFL in a clip on shop lamp fixture. I got a cheap plastic flower pot and drilled a hole in it.

 

[Jaysin13]

This is the mantis tank now. Current led strips set to 20% on the blues and 10% on the whites.

 

[Jaysin13]

This one isn't as pretty as that but I love his skirts or whatever they are. Cause hes all deep red and the back tail has 2 little spots on them.

Those "skirts" are gills btw.

 

[ItouchedThebutt]

These are screen shots of a video I took of him. The LFS now says it's a spear mantis and thinks it's a peacock. Dont know if these help at all or not.

 

[Jaysin13]

These are screen shots of a video I took of him. The LFS now says it's a spear mantis and thinks it's a peacock. Dont know if these help at all or not.

Well peacocks have clubs sooooo.... their opinion is out. Lol.

 

[Jaysin13]

I wouldn't want a spearer btw. They typically get much bigger need a very deep sand bed/burrow and eat fish.

 

[ItouchedThebutt]

I thought it was a thrasher, the first guy was told by the manager it's a thrasher. Then when I called back told it was a spearer. I'm confused and now may not be impulse buying it lol.