Mantis Shrimp Tank
- Thread starter metalyx
- Start date
That would be fine for any of the small rock dwelling species or a juvenile burrowing species, my experience with stomatopods isn't that you have the opportunity to pick the species you want, since the only species that're commonly imported are O. scyllarus and G. chiragra, which are a great species but get huge (by stomatopod standards) and need a liitle more room 20+ gallons. Occasionally you see a G. smithii on an importers list but more than half the time they're misidentified chiragra, a genuine smithii could be kept comfortably in a 10.
Other species you'll only find by blind luck, especially the small rock dwellers that'd be appropriate for that particular tank.
Also, they will not break aquarium glass, that's a myth, they have excellent senses and only strike at predators or prey.
Other species you'll only find by blind luck, especially the small rock dwellers that'd be appropriate for that particular tank.
Also, they will not break aquarium glass, that's a myth, they have excellent senses and only strike at predators or prey.
That brings about the second step in the equation. I'm not terribly concerned about a smasher breaking the acrylic, and one of my lfs's has a smasher type in. I would opt for a spear type though, if I could find one.
Anyone know where to find them?
Anyone know where to find them?
infrequently Lysoquilla maculata appear on shipping lists, they need very different conditions than almost any other marine critter you'd think to keep, a sandbed at least 3" deeper than the beast is long, and no rockwork at all, anything heavy on the surface can collapse their burrows trapping them or crushing them.
I had a big guy that passed on when he was a little over 10" I only saw his whole body when I put him in his 20, and when he died, other than that I had a pet hole that exploded for a fraction of a half a second once a week when I dropped a feeder in.
Very interesting critter but not a visually stimulating aquarium. I had a lot of people asking my why I had a tank full of sand with nothing in it. On special occasions you'd see 2 gold eyes peering out at you, but as soon as he knew you were looking he'd drop straight back into his burrow, and that'd be it. My understanding is that all spearers follow this same general MO, but I've only kept the one species personally.
I honestly found that the best stomatopods for aquariums are the big smashers, they're tough as nails, eat literally anything, and are scary smart for a heavily armed crustacean. I also had a G. chiragra I kept in a tank with a big condy anemone, the chiragra learned to steal krill out of the anemones tentacles, and built a staircase out of liverock rubble to reach them easier.
If you haven't seen Roy Caldwell's stomatopod site it's a good place to learn a bit about some of the more common species- http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthro.../eumalacostraca/royslist/index.html#directory
I had a big guy that passed on when he was a little over 10" I only saw his whole body when I put him in his 20, and when he died, other than that I had a pet hole that exploded for a fraction of a half a second once a week when I dropped a feeder in.
Very interesting critter but not a visually stimulating aquarium. I had a lot of people asking my why I had a tank full of sand with nothing in it. On special occasions you'd see 2 gold eyes peering out at you, but as soon as he knew you were looking he'd drop straight back into his burrow, and that'd be it. My understanding is that all spearers follow this same general MO, but I've only kept the one species personally.
I honestly found that the best stomatopods for aquariums are the big smashers, they're tough as nails, eat literally anything, and are scary smart for a heavily armed crustacean. I also had a G. chiragra I kept in a tank with a big condy anemone, the chiragra learned to steal krill out of the anemones tentacles, and built a staircase out of liverock rubble to reach them easier.
If you haven't seen Roy Caldwell's stomatopod site it's a good place to learn a bit about some of the more common species- http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthro.../eumalacostraca/royslist/index.html#directory
You actually want to keep a mantis shrimp? I found out I had one from some LR I bought at my LFS. The owner gave me a waterbottle trap and told me to flush the mantis down the toilet because they are pests.
What do cichlids have to do with keeping a mantis shrimp? I was just curious about keeping mantis shrimp since I dont want to simply flush it down the toilet.
Wow! I took that completely the wrong way. I apologize. Bad point of reference for the point I was trying to make as well. I'll need to watch that.
I'm just about in the same boat. I haven't kept them and am researching needs too. If you'd like I can pm you info I find.
I'm just about in the same boat. I haven't kept them and am researching needs too. If you'd like I can pm you info I find.
I had an O. scyllarus (peacock) 20+ years ago and it was, by far, one of the most interesting pets I've had the privilege to own. Beautiful as well. It's unfortunate that they're considered pests.
I've found they're fairly easy to get locally. Just find a fish store that carries live rock and they'll probably either have them or be able to get one for you. Only problem is, I've found most owners really don't know enough about them to ID one for you. I get alot of - we can either get you a peacock, green, or brown one.
For a small tank, smithii or wennerae would be your best bet.
I've found they're fairly easy to get locally. Just find a fish store that carries live rock and they'll probably either have them or be able to get one for you. Only problem is, I've found most owners really don't know enough about them to ID one for you. I get alot of - we can either get you a peacock, green, or brown one.
For a small tank, smithii or wennerae would be your best bet.
I'm starting to get that feeling as well. My best lfs has officially stopped any special orders, and the rest don't live up. Blagh!
I think I'm going to settle with the small green smasher one of the local smokey's have. They've had it around 8 months and he's grown very little. I'll get sand and rock in the tank at some point and get some images up for an I.D.
I think I'm going to settle with the small green smasher one of the local smokey's have. They've had it around 8 months and he's grown very little. I'll get sand and rock in the tank at some point and get some images up for an I.D.