Mantis Shrimp?

BeelzeBob

BeelzeBob

-CHAUVINIST PIG-
Mar 18, 2006
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Boulder, Co.
So i have an empty 18 gallon tank. i was thinking of filling it with 20lbs black sand and about 15-20lbs live rock.

then i wanted to get some soft coarls, nudi's and other flourecent squishy things , and then add a mantis shrimp.


i worry cause my tank is glass, and my lfs only has a little peacock mantis whish are smashers.

if i keep it fat and happy do i really need to worry about that bad boy breakin my tank?

or should i just wait and get my lfs to order a spear hunter?

every source ive checked says one of two things;either that they can and will smash the glass acrylic is the only way to go, while others say its kinda an urban myth, and they have theirs in glass tanks no prob.

the thing that makes me tenative to get a spearer is what the heck can i feed it? fish?

anyone kept these lil terrors as a pet? got any advice for a hippy?
 
Mantis shrimp & <3/8" glass? I wouldn't.

Once I get my 46 going, I may put a Mantis in my (plastic) 5G minibow (the one in sig pic).
 
First off, not all smashers can break glass, only the large ones. Peacocks do get large, and would neeed a bigger tank, but unfortunatley many types of mantises, even those that are a different species, are sold under the name "peacock mantis shrimp". If you could get the scientific name of the mantis that would help greatly. Keeping a larger species of mantis fed in no sure guarantee against them breaking glass.


For spearers, there are a number of things you can feed it. I feed mine (I believe you saw my thread) ghost shrimp, shrimp pellets, frozen shrimp, and other frozen food. He did also catch and eat a damsel.

On a side note, nudibranchs almost always die in the home aquarium and shouldn't be kept by the average aquarist.
 
what type of filtration shoild i use, i was planning on an undr gravel and a hot magnum, wil that do?
 
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