Keeping a Mantis shrimp

[florida joe]

I am sure most of you are getting bored with these pictures, but for those of you that already have a mantis I am sure you have witnessed this and for the hobbyist starting one you will be amazing how they can take large rocks and position them in front of their borrows so they are stable

 

[florida joe]

Well I will say one thing for my Lola she is persistent. After about 2hrs of taping she kicked out the snail shell minus the snail if you look close you can see where she finally broke it open. I am sure she gave her smashers a good workout

 

[deejeff442]

well joe.i was going to set up the tank tonight but i forgot i needed to paint the metal stand .so its outside drying now.i found some rocks and seashells .
also got some 2 inch pvc with 45 degree fittings.couldn't find grey so i got white.i also bought a light for the tank.i will get it together in the morning and post a pic to see what you think.if my supplier cant get the mantis iwill go buy the one at the lfs.which i really don't want to do cause i dont like the owner but gotta give and take sometimes.
by the way i love all the pics so far and cant wait to see it myself.

 

[florida joe]

Originally Posted by deejeff442
http:///forum/post/3240618
well joe.i was going to set up the tank tonight but i forgot i needed to paint the metal stand .so its outside drying now.i found some rocks and seashells .
also got some 2 inch pvc with 45 degree fittings.couldn't find grey so i got white.i also bought a light for the tank.i will get it together in the morning and post a pic to see what you think.if my supplier cant get the mantis iwill go buy the one at the lfs.which i really don't want to do cause i dont like the owner but gotta give and take sometimes.
by the way i love all the pics so far and cant wait to see it myself.

 

[deejeff442]

well got the tank up and running.i will post a pic when the water clears up.i washed the sand and cc so shouldnt be too long.
i have to go do some work estimates today so hopefully when i get back.
havnt heard from my supplier but hes a busy guy he has a regular job and sells saltwater stuff on the side.i did get a list of the aussie corals most of the 4 inch sizes are $70-$150 so seems his prices are pretty good.
he will usually just get what i emailed to him then calls me when its in.i have some work out in his area which is an hour and a half drive later this week.so i will probably pick up some livestock and the mantis then.
cant wait.

 

[kiefers]

hey joe, your mantis is amazing!! any shots with her OUT of her little cave there?
I would love to have one but many people tell me that you can't have anything else with them. My 29g probably wouldn't be a good home either. oh well....

 

[florida joe]

any shots with her OUT of her little cave there?
I will try to take a pic of Lola out of her burrow. It seems to me that peacocks are ambush predator and not active hunters. I can entice her to come out with the food stick but she is so fast it is hard to get a clear pic but I will try.
. My 29g probably wouldn't be a good home either
I think your tank as a species only tank is fine.
deejeff442
My own personal opinion I would not clue the pvc together. This will allow you to reconfigure as needed. I did not go with the traditional U shape. I have a straight and 45 degree burrow. I took a chance that my mantis would not constantly peek out of the ends that I could not view. My reasoning for this was simply that I felt a change of scenery would be more natural for her I also felt that she would stay at the opening that presented the most stimulation ( the view into the room ) which she has.
well I guess she proved she is smart look at the turbo snail. She finally found a soft spot and had a meal( the second shell down and to her right)

 

[deejeff442]

i didnt glue the pvc no reason to.i put two 45 degree pieces together but they are 5 inches long each and looks pretty good.tank is still cloudy but not to bad i added a poly filter in the hob to help out.

 

[florida joe]

Originally Posted by deejeff442
http:///forum/post/3240984
i didnt glue the pvc no reason to.i put two 45 degree pieces together but they are 5 inches long each and looks pretty good.tank is still cloudy but not to bad i added a poly filter in the hob to help out.
just out of curiosity did you put news paper over the substratum and then pore in the water?

 

[deejeff442]

where were you this morning

didnt know that trick.
i'm not worried wont have the mantis till at least thursday.this way the filter will collect the small stuff.its clearing out pretty fast though.i can see everything in there just a little too cloudy for a pic.
actually i pumped the water from my mix tank slowly but still created a stirr in the cornor.

 

[florida joe]

again just my own opinion. I think the depth of the substratum recommended is for tanks with out a precast PVC burrow. I can not stress enough the importance of having many many rocks for your mantis to move around to its liking

 

[deejeff442]

well here is the tank.i need to get a background and was thinking about a couple plants in the back cornors.ibroke up a bunch of base rock i had in my 90 reef sump .probably a couple dozen or more 1/2" to 2' pieces and alot of seashells.

 

[florida joe]

Originally Posted by deejeff442
http:///forum/post/3241608
well here is the tank.i need to get a background and was thinking about a couple plants in the back cornors.ibroke up a bunch of base rock i had in my 90 reef sump .probably a couple dozen or more 1/2" to 2' pieces and alot of seashells.
looks nice my friend very nice

what is the length of our burrow

 

[deejeff442]

2 inch pipe looks like 8-9 inches long.funny we moved here a week ago .in the other house the tanks were in the basement which i didnt see much.so here iuse a bedroom for my office and put my 250,55 qt and this mantis tank in here so i can enjoy them all the time.a bit noisy but relaxing.
just have my 90 reef in the dining room.i plan to get a bunch of stuff by next weekend.mantis a couple aussie corals for the reef and need to restock my empty 250 but dont have a clue yet which way to go on that one yet.probably tangs .i lost almost all my fish over the last year to ich,bacteria infections some kind of skin rotting .i always filter my water but in te last house i think the well water was so bad it took its toll on my fish.all the tanks here look so much better with this houses water its unreal.just reassures me i am right about the bad water over there.
well gotta go do a final cleanup at the other house since its raining and cannot work today.sunny and 70 tomorrow so time to make some cash to buy some fish.i will let you know about the mantis probably today since he orders on sunday night.
take care.

 

[florida joe]

One thing you will find interesting is how your mantis turns in the burrow. If you picture the way a swimmer turns when they come to the wall in a race the mantis does the same thing without the wall.
BTW did you sterilize (bleach) the tanks before you set them up in the new house?

 

[deejeff442]

i just got home with the last of the stuff.of course gotta hurt myself.i was using a shovel to chop a piece of concrete reinforcement and hit my big toe.there is blood through my sock but really dont want to look

its not broken though.
yea i cleaned it but i use vinegar instead of bleach.
my father has a couple ferrets that are fun to watch turn in their tubes like that.

 

[florida joe]

good to know you are putting your best foot forward

 

[florida joe]

well i am down to one turbo as i hear the distinctive tap in her burrow and i can just make out the shape of the turbo

 

[meowzer]

Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/3241920
well i am down to one turbo as i hear the distinctive tap in her burrow and i can just make out the shape of the turbo

TURBO KILLER
Hey, Do you want to try to feed Lola some Damsels....LOL

 

[hunt]

Originally Posted by meowzer
http:///forum/post/3241943

TURBO KILLER
Hey, Do you want to try to feed Lola some Damsels....LOL
Hey, if your going to feed them to something, give it to me, im starving