Starting a Mantis tank, looking for advice

[Str8baller]

I am planning on starting a mantis tank, I have been wanting one for a very long time, and am finally going to get it done. These are my thoughts so far, first I going to get a JBJ 12g nanocube, and fill it with 20lbs of argonite sand,and about 10lbs of Fiji LR. I am going to take out the included bio balls ect, and fill the compartments as follows:

First slot: filer floss, small pouch of phospoban, filter floss
Second slot: chemi-pure, purgien
third slot: stock return pump (is that ok? how much flow do they need?), heater (50w stealth)

After the tank cycles, and the water tests perfect, I am going to add a very large cleaning crew (will become food), then after the conditions in the tank re-stabilize. Its time for the mantis, My biggest question is what kind is best for my potential set up? (I hope I don't get flamed for this), but I would rather have a mantis that is best suited for a 20g, and see him more. Then one that is best for a 6g, and never see him. I was also wondering how successful people are with frozen food, I really don't want to be spending a lot on crabs and snails. Also I was thinking about keeping a damsel in the tank (for food), and does anyone have a small 5g tank only for snails and crabs? Can you breed crabs? Thats my plan for now.

Any problems with this? Or advice? I'm open to all and any ideas on the project .

[Pea-brain]

Don't plan on breeding crabs. Sounds good. P. ciliata generally do well in 20 gallons. I could PM you a list of sites that have them right now uf you want. P. ciliata is a spearer and will leave your snails alone, but it may pick on hermit and crabs. Comes in bright yellow to. easy to take care of and active. Look at roy's list

[Thurge]

No problems in you tank setup.
The problem with a mantis better suited to a 20 gallon tank in your Nano cube, is the risk of the mantis damaging the tank. The larger the mantis the more strike force it can exert. Your best bet would be to order an N.wennera from Tapmabaysaltwater.com. They are just about the only place you will pretty well be guarranteed you mantis won't end up being a monster capible of escaping through the side of the tank. Plus N.wennera are pretty personable and can learn to eat from your hand.
Frozen foods are totally fine, just be sure to rotate the foods and make sure if you are buying grocery store seafood it's not precooked and isn't preserved with anything. Also mantis shold be fed snails and crabs on occasion to ensure that their raptoral appendages are in tip top shape.

[Pea-brain]

there are only 2 mantises common in the aquarum that can smash tank to my knowledge, peacocks and G. chiragra.......Your not likely to get a peacock i you order a non-descript mantis, and chiragras usually don't leave burrow often enough to become a large (like peacock) threat

[G.SMITHII]

replace filter floss and phosban w/ LR ruble.

bump LR total (in display) up to about 12-15lbs. get small porus pieces so you can build multiple lil nooks and crannies, and not have you tank dominated by "a" rock or two.

you really might not need that much sand. make sure you're gettin a species that digs, upposed to smashing out a piece of LR like my smithii.

i dont know what chemi-pure and purgien are but id loose that and get a nano skimmer for that part. (THERE WILL BE CARNAGE, and therfore more, ahem, proteins in the water.

also never forget, coral is not out of the picture


good work, have fun and git'er done

oh yea, and buy the way, the size of the mantis really has nothing to do with activity. its really all about the individual personality of the shrimp you get, with some species being more active than others.

[Str8baller]

thanks for the advice guys, I just bought the tank, 12g nano cube, and a 5.5g tank to keep the snails and crabs in. My LFS has a beautiful 4in peacock mantis shrimp. The LFS guy (hes very smart, chem major at Northwestern), said that i could keep him just fine in the 12g, and the chances of it breaking are small. The only problem is that the price is not very good its $80. So what do you guys think? Also how active is a peacock mantis?

[Pea-brain]

If you have a 25 acrylic it is great. I wouldn't suggest less than that. And once it hits 4-5 inches huge danger of glass breaking. Plus 80$ is way overpriced. Go in the store and tell make him get his facts right! Then punh him in the face! (Don't reall do that. just politely tell him, then punch him in the face )

[Str8baller]

I have not decided on what kind of mantis im going to get. Either the peacock at the store, or a G. Smithii, from an online vender. What do you guys think? I don't know what to do, Also can they get sick if they eat freshwater fish over time? I know fish can get fatty liver disease, from prolonged freshwater fish consumption? what about mantis shrimp? Thanks for all the help so far, you guys rock!

[Pea-brain]

Like I said, the peacock is a no. Maybe you could keep it in there a little while but it will outgrow the tank fast. I misread yor first post too. It isa 12, not a 20 anyways a N. wennerae are generally recomended because they are easy to find, hardy and personable. Go to tampabaysaltwater.com and they cost 10$ plus 40$ shipping, BTW I love your sig! BOO PETA! (yay PETA, or "People Eating Tasty Animals"! )

[Ms. K]

I would NOT recommend a peacock for your tank, especially not a specimen that size. That is a disaster waiting to happen, IMO. If you really want the G. smithii, that would be much better than a peacock. Also, don't get a chiragra. I agree that a N. wennerae would be best for you. They're easy to get, active, colorful, personable, and they are perfectly suited for that size tank.

[Thurge]

$80 is WAY too much. A peacock is WAY to much mantis for your tank.

[Str8baller]

Ok, ok... No peacock, I think I am going to get a N. wennerae, from tampabaysaltwater.com but in the picture it looks orange. On the identification page it looks nothing like that, what gives? Are they the same species, could the pictures be mistakes? I will buy the mantis from tampabaysaltwater.com, but only if it looks like the N. wennerae, on Roy's stomatopod identification page. Again thanks for all the help and advice

[justinl]

the thing with N. wennerae is that their colour varies. You'll actually find this trait in many mantis species in varying degrees. They may even change their colour in your care depending on how much hiding space they have and what lighting you use. regardless of colour though, a threat display is still always a sweet thing to see.

+1 on the N. wennerae. TBS's mantids are virtually always (cant think of any case where it wasn't) N. wennerae so no need to worry there.

[Pea-brain]

under normal full spectrum lighting it should turn green if it was orange in a molt or 2 either way.

[Sink Colin Sink]

I thought you could only get live rock from TBS....?

[Pea-brain]

Nope. Go to the tbs sight and under price list (it could take a bit of clicking to find it, but it is in there) it lists N. wennerae for 10$ or 50$ including shipping. On this page they also sell octopuss, Gorgs, Crabs etc. etc.