Big mantis in tank?

[Death Shrimp99]

Could I get one of those 15" mantis posted a while ago? What tank size would be needed? Where could whey be bought at? And what do they eat!:eek1: reel big fish:D

[ISFRAEL]

im sure we all want one of those but i beleive they come from thailand, so getting one in to america and past customs would be fairly hard work. i sure they dont want a huge spearers running around the american coastline other tham what they already have native.

they where at a local fish market being sold for chow.

but we can still dream cant we?

[Gonodactylus]

Harpiosquilla, the large species shown from Thailand, are caught by shrimpers. Females ripe with eggs are commonly eaten by roasting them over a fire so that they cook in their own fat. Males are usually not eaten.

They do not do particularly well in an aquarium unlest they have a large burrow. Even then, they are fairly boring sit and wait predators. They are also nocturnal. THey don't require a particularly large tank (even a well broken in 20 gal. will do) as long as you are careful managing food. They eat small fish (damsels are fine), but in a small tank, any uneaten fish flesh can quickly foul the tank and thse animals are very sensitive to water quality. Even a small spike in ammonia and they are history.

Roy

[Capt.Dave]

There is a very large species of mantis that lives in the gulf of mexico. I have seen lobester size picures in a fishing magizine, I will post if I can find it.

Dave

[Gonodactylus]

Believe me when I tell you that you probably don't want a Harpiosquilla. Yes, they are probably the third largest stomatopod, but they are not particularly hardy, live in mud burrows and don't do well without a burrow, are nocturnal, and a large one would not live too much longer.

A better species if you want they absolutely largest stomatopod is Lysiosquillina maculata. This species is found from Hawaii to East Africa, is common in very shallow water, and frequently shows up at importers. Ask your supplier for the yellow and black banded mantis shrimp. I've purchased several this year. They also simply set around burrows, but they seem happy in a 30", 3 inch diameter of PVC, love frozen shrimp and live for years (I have one that we have had in the lab for 6 years and it was probably at least 10-15 years old when we got it. This is the largest off all stomatopods - 42 cm is the record.

The largest species in the Gulf of Mexico is another Lysiosquillid, but it only gets to about 25 cm.

Roy

[Fcamdog]

I posted about these before, I had a baby in my tank. He has a nice home now in as the main attraction in a 60g almost reef tank. I think I know what I am about to start looking for on my next snorkling trip...