Thinking on a Mantis Tank

[BlackFlagAquatics]

Well I think I finally want to do a mantis shrimp tank. I had one at a store I worked at for months and hated when it was finally sold. My question is what size tank would you feel comfortable
for the Peacock Mantis shrimp? I am thinking about building a custom one from acrylic just for him and corals.

 

[nezw0001]

60-75G. I'd want it big enough to make it easy to maintain some level of stability and not be on a knife's edge all the time.

 

[Stomatopods17]

o_scyllarus

40g breeder dimensions is sweet spot if you're building. 30" floor length is the primary goal.

29 gallon dimensions can work too but it can feel like there's little room for the stomatopod to walk around with all the rubble everywhere. Mine is currently in a 29g.

For O. scyllarus (true peacock, you have to be sure to ID it as O. scyllarus cause there's a lot of wholesaler misinformation with the ones they send you) you're primarily thinking about burrow space, rubble, and stability. They do not tolerate changes to water quality well at all, especially since they develop shell disease which scientist aren't entirely positive on what exactly it is or what to do about it but correlation is related to high nutrients and lighting (mostly just nutrients though). Other species are less prone to shell disease and don't require much special like O. scyllarus, but they also don't get big or have O. scyllarus's coloration so you have to really research identification. Its... actually kind hard to get an O. scyllarus nowadays, they sorta just happen to show up lately rather than be instock most places and again they get miss-id all the time so its a gamble what wholesalers send LFS.

Roy's List of Stomatopods for the Aquarium

Particular ones you need to pay close mind to is G. ternatensis and G. Chiragra.

The burrow is what's going to decide if it lives a few months or a few years. They do not handle molts well in captivity but they won't handle it at all without a U-shaped burrow structure with access to building material to close the entrances, has to be complete dark in the burrow too and be easy for the mantis to close off as needed. Design around the idea there's going to be a large area dedicated to it being invisible (O. scyllarus is always looking out so don't worry!) and the bottom will have a ton of rubble for it to work with. Corals not placed up high is a huge mistake (ask me how I know, I'm on my 5th dead LPS frag cause even glued she knocks it off and uses it as a door.)

 

[Coffee Soundboard]

I just put together a mantis tank. It’s a 40 breeder. I could potentially put you in contact with someone who could get you a peacock if that’s what you’re after. He sourced me a 1 1/2” peacock.

 

[Hadla]

I would LOVE to find one that tiny! The shipping cost would kill me though

 

[Coffee Soundboard]

I would LOVE to find one that tiny! The shipping cost would kill me though

It wasn’t bad at all. $160 for the mantis delivered to my door.

 

[Hadla]

It wasn’t bad at all. $160 for the mantis delivered to my door.

Yeah but that’s a bit much for a mantis lol but then I’d probably spend more to get an octopus delivered I went from a mantis fanatic in 2014 to an octo one in 2018. Hoping to find a small mantis for my 10g. My lfs only has a giant peacock for $130 has to be full grown so I wouldn’t bother. About as big as this poor boy I got from them a few years ago. He had no smashers so was defenseless if someone bought him just to give him live food. When I saw he had mine and told the owner, he let me have him cheap. The prettiest peacock I ever had. Still wonder how he lost them and hope it wasn’t when he was caught

 

[Coffee Soundboard]

The mantis was $100. The rest was shipping. Seemed pretty reasonable to me.

 

[Coffee Soundboard]

Here he is before I added him (?) to his tank.

 

[Coffee Soundboard]

Yeah but that’s a bit much for a mantis lol but then I’d probably spend more to get an octopus delivered I went from a mantis fanatic in 2014 to an octo one in 2018. Hoping to find a small mantis for my 10g. My lfs only has a giant peacock for $130 has to be full grown so I wouldn’t bother. About as big as this poor boy I got from them a few years ago. He had no smashers so was defenseless if someone bought him just to give him live food. When I saw he had mine and told the owner, he let me have him cheap. The prettiest peacock I ever had. Still wonder how he lost them and hope it wasn’t when he was caught

Yours never regrew his hammers?

 

[nuxx]

40 would be fine

I always suspected I had one, but could never find it.

Just my mind playing tricks on me I guess.

 

[Hadla]

Yours never regrew his hammers?

He didn’t live for more than a few months, when they’re that big, they often have trouble molting successfully and I’m sure he was a few years old and near the end already

 

[Hadla]

The mantis was $100. The rest was shipping. Seemed pretty reasonable to me.

That is reasonable, I’m just saying if my lfs got one that size, it would be under $50. But when I can easily afford it, I’ll find someone who can ship me a tiny baby one. Omg that giant tail! He’s adorable!

 

[Stomatopods17]

1.18 inch is the size they're at when they first exit their free swimming stage (or smallest ever recorded, one of the two .)

Sadly the post was on RC so I'm having difficulty digging up the post, roy caldwell said somewhere the smallest in his facility was around 2 1/2 inch, maybe 2inch if i'm misremembering.

Here he is before I added him (?) to his tank.

Wow that is amazing! Coloration checks out too cause young juveniles are described as yellowish. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-18276.html

I would love to get one like that, closest I had was around 2 1/2 inch myself (starfish killed it).

 

[Coffee Soundboard]

He didn’t live for more than a few months, when they’re that big, they often have trouble molting successfully and I’m sure he was a few years old and near the end already

That’s too bad. He looked like was very pretty. Yeah, that’s why I went with a smaller one. And with hopes he wouldn’t eat the el cheapo fish in there with him . It must be nice having an LFS like that near you. The ones around me I don’t tend to trust. Years back I ordered a peacock. The owner picked it out at the distributor. He chose a very not O. scyllarus , olive green mantis. I think Ray Charles could have spotted the differences .

 

[Coffee Soundboard]

Sadly the post was on RC so I'm having difficulty digging up the post, roy caldwell said somewhere the smallest in his facility was around 2 1/2 inch, maybe 2inch if i'm misremembering.

No kidding? I didn’t realize that getting a small one was that difficult. Maybe I should count myself lucky?! Check out @REEF EXCLUSIVE. He found my small guy for me. I would highly recommend them.

 

[Hadla]

I’ve basically taught most of my fish store people about mantises haha there’s one I trust most that tell me as soon they get an octo or mantis in. They know I don’t want a large spearer or big peacock lol. Wish they could pick one out in person! Yeah the big boy was the prettiest Ive ever seen, too bad he was full grown I mostly just see females for sale.
All juvie peacocks basically look like tiny adults luckily so if they don’t have those leopard spots or that tail, it’s not one! I would love for any of my lfs to get another ciliata, the ones I had were so curious! On the other hand, never want a chiragra again cause they’re basically recluses who hit now and ask later

 

[TripFamAZ]

It wasn’t bad at all. $160 for the mantis delivered to my door.

I am on the hunt would you be willing to message me the contact info?

 

[TripFamAZ]

No kidding? I didn’t realize that getting a small one was that difficult. Maybe I should count myself lucky?! Check out @REEF EXCLUSIVE. He found my small guy for me. I would highly recommend them.

@Coffee Soundboard I would love to hear any advice you have on how it went for you with acclimation, current water parameters and just overall tips since you’ve gotten him. I have a deposit hold on one while I wait for my tank to finish cycling and I am thirsty for any and all experiences raising these guys. TIA!

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

@Susannah.odle