Keeping a Mantis shrimp

cranberry

cranberry

Active Member
This was my PVC cave. The left side curved upward and the right side curved to the right.



You can see how it went down under the rock and the resurfaced out the other side of the rock on the right. I don't know why I didn't take pictures of this.


The width of the pipe needs to be 3x the diameter of the mantis. He turns around in there by turning over on himself. Sand will get in there reducing the space eventually.
The tank was designed to hold the 2 mantis'... the peacock and the ciliata, but it turned out to be too small for the peacock.

I should probably do a tank build thread... I'm surprised I hadn't.
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
Thanks Cran I love your pipe work
, I picked up this piece of rock at my LFS I will round out the openings and incorporate your design by gluing the rock to the openings of the pvc
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
Just a caution, I believe that is Feller stone, a lava rock. Not sure that it would be good to use in a saltwater environment.
 
hunt

hunt

Active Member
Originally Posted by spanko
http:///forum/post/3224359
Just a caution, I believe that is Feller stone, a lava rock. Not sure that it would be good to use in a saltwater environment.
Is this a feller stone? If it is then why is it bad in a saltwater tank? Ive had this in my tank from when i started the tank a few years ago.
Attachment 238331
sorry bout the glare
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the heads up Henry. As you know Feller is a major supplier of aquatic rock. My rock is rainbow. Which I believe is made out of limestone (calcium carbonate). I will have to keep an eye on my PH when I introduce it. I will also put it in a holding bucket and check for phosphates and copper. I will reach out to the feller company for a definite answer on Monday. Thanks again for your concern
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
Well as I begin my work on the Cranberry inspired Rock/PVC burrow I will give those who care an update
Tank 25 g acrylic
Sub straight Gulf of Mexico sand and a bag of CC mixed 3 ½ inches deep
Filtration Emperor 280 seeded with piece of filter media from my DT, introduced a piece of cocktail shrimp to degrade . (Will start looking for nitrites and or nitrates this week). BTW can someone tell me when I will know my cycle is over?
Cover Egg create
Heater Stealth 75W
Lighting ????
Note on the rock pictured in post 61. My son asked me how the mantis tank was coming along. I told him I was waiting for an answer to a question as to whether or not a piece of rock was lava rock or lime stone. He said I must be getting old and that he could tell me with his eyes closed.
SOOOOOOOOO I get the rock he closes his eyes feels the rock then said. I don’t know what it is. A pause for dramatic effect (wonder where he gets that from) then says but I know it’s not lava rock. My response is oh really how you know that. Dad he said it’s too heavy for lava rock. Size to weight is just not right. He may be right we shall see
 
cranberry

cranberry

Active Member
Ohhhhh, that's gonna look nice.... what mantis are you looking at now that you upgraded? The peacocks are definitely one of the best for looks and personality.
I would push any main rock I was using down to the bottom surface. Or at least don't stack rocks so that the whole structure will topple over once he digs under it.
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
Good point Cran on the rock placement. Peacocks are my first chose now but they do have there down side. Susceptible to bad molts and shell disease. I will have to supplement with iodine to add in molting. BTW what did you use for lighting? I want to go on the dusky side.
 
cranberry

cranberry

Active Member
I've used the lights that came with an eclipse. Some old bulb fixture and then PCs. It doesn't have to be anything much.
Any mantis is susceptible to shell rot. That wouldn't deter me from getting one over another.
 
nwdyr

nwdyr

Active Member
where are you gettin your mantis from? havin a hard time here trying to find a place with w decent selection. tank looks cool!
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/3224582
......(Will start looking for nitrites and or nitrates this week). BTW can someone tell me when I will know my cycle is over?
Hey NOOB, I suggest you go and read the stickies at the top of the new hobbyist section and get yourself some good books. IMO this should have been done before setting up this tank. What the heck is wrong with you.
Anyway I believe your answer is in the lost florida joe thread!!!!!
 
nwdyr

nwdyr

Active Member
hmm... wait a min...I was following YUR thread to get ideas about my mantis tank?....and you dont know about the "cycle"...ruttt roooo rorgee

come on Joe , you WERE jokin ....right?
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by nwdyr
http:///forum/post/3224843
where are you gettin your mantis from? havin a hard time here trying to find a place with w decent selection. tank looks cool!
i have reached out to two LFS with in 20min of my home that deal strictly with saltwater they go to Miami once a week to pick up live stock. they don't remember seeing any the last few trips but they said they were not really looking for them and that they my have to order me one from California
 
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