Keeping a Mantis shrimp

[florida joe]

Originally Posted by Cranberry
http:///forum/post/3222898
Your tank is too small for a peacock.
The only place I'm ever concerned about a mantis busting through glass is if they repeatedly pound at the bottom of an inappropriately sized glass tank. They keep pounding at the bottom thinking it's a rock they need to break up to tunnel down further. Placing a sheet of plexiglass at the bottom alleviates this problem.
Yes, some species have the ability to break through glass. That I will not question. But, I've kept mantis' for years and run around those circles. We've always heard the fabled "can break through glass" stories, but go look on the forums for someone actually telling this story as it happened to them. In all my years I've never actually heard one first or even second hand, so IMO, the actuality of that happening are pretty much nil.
you are assuming i am getting a peacock. I have been in contact with the mote marine lab in Florida there is no documented tank size requirements for the mantis, peacock included. the amount of force generated by the peacock can in fact fracture glass. the only issue would be at the bottom of the tank as they burrow hence a deep sand bed and the reason for live rock and or PVC pipe. in any event i plan on using an extra piece of Plexiglas on the bottom of my tank
would love to see you mantas tank

 

[cranberry]

I wasn't assuming anything.
Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/3222789
Henry does the guy ship out of state and what is the price

 

[cranberry]

I wasn't assuming anything.
Originally Posted by spanko
http:///forum/post/3222779
There is a large maybe 4 inch peacock O. scyllarus at a local shop here.

Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/3222789
Henry does the guy ship out of state and what is the price
I kept a peacock... he outgrew the split 40g which meant he had the equivalent of a 20g tank. His 25g long fit him well for years. If I had it to do over I would have used a 40g long instead of a 40g standard.

 

[spanko]

Ever see Andrew Zimmern, the Bizarre Foods guy, eating Mantis Shrimp?
Here is a plate.

 

[aquaknight]

I have that very same Eclipse in storage and would love to setup a mantis as well. The thing that's held me back, other then not needing a set up a 7th tank, is the Mantis's (Manti? %%) that fit into only a 12gal. Whenever I read a thread with one of the species I like, the Mantis-Nazi seem to really frown upon a tank that small.

 

[aquaknight]

I see we reached that before I posted

 

[cranberry]

Mantis Nazis??.... it's the people that have kept them know that a 12g tank is too small for a full grow mantis like a peacock or a chiragra.

 

[florida joe]

Originally Posted by Cranberry
http:///forum/post/3222909
I wasn't assuming anything.
I kept a peacock... he outgrew the split 40g which meant he had the equivalent of a 20g tank.
seems like you were assuming my questions to Henry were only for me . what do we do when things outgrow our tanks we get bigger tanks or at least that is what i do. setting up a 50 gallon tank for one mantis with out knowing if i am gong to continue to peruse this part of the hobby is not piratical i am fully aware of the size of the mantis i need to get initially

 

[cranberry]

If I see someone searching for info on mantis', see them throw up a pic of a small tank and ask the price of a peacock and ask if they ship... you are right, I'm going to gently try to let ya know it's not a good size match up. I wasn't gettig growly... I thought you were looking for info %%

 

[florida joe]

Originally Posted by Cranberry
http:///forum/post/3222925
If I see someone searching for info on mantis', see them throw up a pic of a small tank and ask the price of a peacock and ask if they ship... you are right, I'm going to gently try to let ya know it's not a good size match up. I wasn't gettig growly... I thought you were looking for info %%
Good luck.

growly and fish nets OH MY
Actually dear heart as i live in Florida i was looking more into Odontodactylus Havanensis which are prevalent here. My question to Henry was for a friend on an other site doing predator tanks

 

[aquaknight]

Originally Posted by Cranberry
http:///forum/post/3222917
Mantis Nazis??.... it's the people that have kept them know that a 12g tank is too small for a full grow mantis like a peacock or a chiragra.
I know, I kid. I'm as big 'proper tank' size guy as anyone.
My favorite mantis would be Lysiosquillina maculata, which probably needs more tank then a peacock

 

[florida joe]

Originally Posted by AquaKnight
http:///forum/post/3222934
I know, I kid. I'm as big 'proper tank' size guy as anyone.
My favorite mantis would be Lysiosquillina maculata, which probably needs more tank then a peacock

this is the largest of all stomatopods.
so fellow hobbyists before i get to involved do i keep the 12 for a small fish QT and leave my options open and go with a 30g

 

[aquaknight]

I think before we rule out a 12gal, are their no interesting mantis that would do well in a 12gal?
And if a 12gal is out and we're onto a 30gal, what types of dimensions would be preferred for a mantis tank? Would a 29gal that's not as long as a 30gal, but a bit wider be better? Or a 30gal breeder instead of a standard 30gal? Or a really tall 25gal?

 

[nwdyr]

I am also starting a Mantis tank , have heard all the things talked about here. tomorrow I am going to get some cycled water and LR from a friend ( I dont like to wait!lol) I have a 14gal bio-cube for him to start out in. I am going to do the Plexiglas on the bottom , maybe a piece or 2 on the sides and the PVC pipe. I am considering the clown mantis. Any advice or input would be good for me also. I will be following your thread! good luck

 

[florida joe]

I think before we rule out a 12gal, are their no interesting mantis that would do well in a 12gal?
Odontodactylus Havanensis IMO they stay under 3 inches in size

 

[florida joe]

To nwdyr The Clown Mantis Shrimp, also referred to as the Peacock Mantis Shrimp so the debate on tank size goes on

 

[florida joe]

To Aqua
Odontodactylus havanensis. They are fairly common off the coast of Florida and in the Caribbean. They are in the same family as the peacock mantis, but these only get about 2.5-3". They are one of the more peaceful species, but they like to snack on small hermit crabs. They are definitely the "cutest" mantids with huge buggy eyes. They come from deeper water than most other mantids, 60-100 feet down. These are the most active mantids,

 

[nwdyr]

after reading 100's of articles on this subject I have found that while all mantis have the ability to shatter glass , I have not read one that tells the story of it actually happening. Also as a avid gun collector I know if I fire a .22cal bullet at acrylic or glass that BOTH shatter. If my mantis out grows his 14gal home I guess I will have to up grade his home or trade/sell him. With the plexi on the bottom and sides , and the PVC i am really not worried. Also I have seen more then 6inches of fish in a 14gal , all I know after 20yrs in this hobby is..... I dont know anything

For every "You cant do this or that" there is someone out there who has been doin "this or that" for years

Lookin forward to seeing your tank up and runnin

 

[spanko]

Should not the debate also include whether or not the pet is a smasher or a spearer(sp?)? Would a spearer negate the need for additional Plexiglas?
Also Joe, I remembered that another member here that lives in the area took a video of the peacock I was talking about. Keep in mind I made a mistake when I said it was 4 inches, the LFS owner told me last night it was actually 6".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBaeeIkVfuk

 

[florida joe]

Some more info
As far as the 22 caliber bullet reference. In smashers, their two weapons are employed with blinding quickness, with an acceleration of 10,400 g and speeds of 23 m/s from a standing start , about the acceleration of a .22 caliber bullet. So we are taking acceleration not impact power.
As for the braking of glass
.There was a story story about how a pet Mantis Shrimp broke 1/4 inch aquarium glass, that was posted in The Daily Mirror (a British Newspaper) on Friday, April 10, 1998, page 11,
furthermore this is information from Dr Caldwell to writers of an article on mantis
Stomatopods can indeed break glass. I have had animals break out of a variety of glass aquaria and keep big animals in Plexiglas. They also can cause physical damage. I was contacted by a surgeon from South Africa who tried to grab a large O. scyllarus and ended up losing a finger that was mangled, became infected, and had to be amputated. I have personally had more than my share of blood-lettings from animals as small as 3 cm.
Lastly i have acquired the e-mail address of Dr.Caldwell and will see if he responds to my question on tank size
rlcaldwell@berkeley.edu
I am of to acquire some sand from the gulf of Mexico i plan on mixing it 3 parts sand to one part CC for the substratum (in what ever size tank i use
BTW Henry was he feeding silversides