looking for suggestions

JJ21 · #1 10/27/2007, 10:20 PM

Hello reefcentral stomatopod enthusiasts! Well it just so happens that i have been bitten by the stomatopod bug! This has prompted me to begin researching these cute little guys so i could keep one of my own!
I was looking for a hardy mantis that is preferably a smasher and fairly colourful. I would also like it to be small enough for me to keep in a 3 gallon pico tank with perhaps some softies or zoas. I looked at roy's list and so far i have had my eye on Neogonodactylus bredini or Gonodactylus smithii. I am open to all advice from all of you as well as info and experiences.

Thanks!

justinl · #2 10/28/2007, 12:59 PM

welcome to the club JJ. G. smithii isnt easily found, but they are around. you'll have to search locally... that's how i found mine. Ive actually never seen an N. bredini before... so i dunno about that one. have you considered N. wennerae? same requirements as G. smithii and arguably just as good a mantis. the upside is that they are very easily found. TBS ships them.

3gal is a lil bit on the small side. Personally i wouldnt put any mantis in anything less than 5gal, but if you really keep up with water quality and dont slack, then it probably could be done. you have to realize that these guys are predators and are pretty messy at it.

JJ21 · #3 10/28/2007, 04:46 PM

hmm, maybe i could place it in my eclipse 12 ive been using for a clownfish if i get a bigger tank for x-mas. Just hope it wont crack the acrylic.

JJ21 · #4 10/28/2007, 05:09 PM

Btw the N.wennerae looks nice

Gonodactylus · #5 10/28/2007, 06:09 PM

N. bredini and N. wennerae are almost indistinguishable except through molecular genetics. They are the same colors and size. N. bredini typically occurs in the the western and southern Caribbean while N. wennerae is found from the Gulf of Mexico to Bermuda. The major ecological difference is that N. wennerae is found at depths to 30 m while N. bredini is typically found in the low intertidal. This may make N. bredini a bit tougher, but both are very tolerant of temperature, salinity and ammonia fluctuations. I doubt that any true N. bredini are being imported into the U.S. at this time. I collect mine in Belize, Panama and Curacao.

Roy

Roy

justinl · #6 10/28/2007, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by JJ21
Just hope it wont crack the acrylic.

dont get me wrong

. when i said 3 gal might be a bit small, i meant in terms of volume to buffer waste and territory for the mantis to roam around in. for the smaller species, glass or acrylic breaking is not a worry at all really.

richofoz · #7 11/01/2007, 12:35 AM

I picked up a 3" smithii a couple of months ago and he's geat.
As soon as I enter the room he's watching, and although he doesn't come out of his hole very often he will as soon as a small crab or glass shrimp enters his domain!
And when eating from a stick will often smash his food anyway. (Even though he knows it's dead!) Great fun!
I keep him in a 22 litre tank and while he doesn't use much of it most of the time I wouldn't put him in anything smaller.
Just my 2c...

jaidexl · #8 11/04/2007, 08:37 AM

I have a 1.5" Neogonodactylus oerstedii that has very similar coloration to the species you mentioned as well as N.wennerae, not so much like the N.O on Roy's page. There is a girl with a similar one through google search, pink/purple eyes, hers is lime green, mine a darker green camouflage pattern with yellow orange legs. I believe it hitchhiked in from/was picked off in the FL Keys area, might be an easier and cheaper find for you.