How much of a chance do i have of my mantis breaking acrylic(sp*)?

mandrin13 · #1 04/09/2007, 08:19 PM

I was just at the lfs and they offered me a mantis for free,and ya, I have been doing research for a while,and they new that I was looking into one, and they didnt want it. So anyway, I think its N. Wennerae . He is about one and a half inches,and he is lime green.

He lives in a 7 gallon refugium at the bottom of my 55g reef. Is there any chance on him being able to break the acrylic that it is made of,because it sits above the power strip,and I have a pump pumping water up to it,so it could pump alot more then seven gallons out,I think I have like 10+ gallons per minute going threw it. So is there a chance he could brake the glass? Also,I have about 2-4 inches of live sand and a ceramic pot in there for him,and not much live rock that deosnt have anything growing on it that would fit in there,so do you think I should put something else in there? thank you

saltycreefer · #2 04/09/2007, 08:23 PM

I wouldn't worry about it.

mattyice · #3 04/09/2007, 08:28 PM

i doubt there is any chance of a tiny mantis like that hurting the acrylic, so i agree and i wouldnt worry about it

Ms. K · #4 04/09/2007, 08:28 PM

I'd say that there is zero chance of breaking the tank, especially if it is acrylic. N. wennerae don't get large enough or powerful enough to break aquarium glass. You have nothing to worry about.

justinl · #5 04/09/2007, 08:30 PM

post a pic or twwo and we can ID it for you. at 2.5 inches there's no way a mantis can break glass let alone acrylic.

for habitat, he'll want some LR, sand (which you have), and rubble. rubble includes small shells, and/or small rocks (pea sized). to make rubble you can take a smallish piece of LR and put a hammer to it.

Pea-brain · #6 04/09/2007, 08:44 PM

Yes it will need a big enough piece of LR to burrow in, shells and other debris. One concern is that it might chow down on your pods....

mandrin13 · #7 04/10/2007, 08:29 AM

Ill try on the pic,but he is green in a tank full of green macro algae. Im not that concerned on him eating my pods,because I have nothing in the tank that really eats them (small sail fin tang(3"),coral beuty,tomato clown) so ya.

Also, if I put the rubble and stuff in the front of the tank do you think he will make his home there. And I also keep the refugium light on 24/7 because the macro really seems to do well like that, do I really have to turn the lights offf for him?

mandrin13 · #8 04/10/2007, 08:36 AM

ok he looks exactly like the one in the first post in this thread. He says its N. wennerae,so ya.

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...readid=1086530

mandrin13 · #9 04/10/2007, 08:00 PM

I havent seen him since I put him in the fuge,any ideas on how I could see him so I know that he didnt die???