# Mantis Shrimp tank?



## Dragonbeards (Dec 14, 2008)

So, I was reading FAMA magazine, their invertebrates issue, and I came across an article on mantis shrimp, and how if put in an aquarium made for them, they were easy keepers. 

The mantis shrimp intrigued me, and it got me to thinking that it would be an interesting invertebrate to keep. Has anyone kept mantis shrimp on purpose before, in a tank made for them? How would I go about setting up and maintaining a tank for these interesting invertebrates?


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## Hoyo12 (May 18, 2009)

Well... the Mantis Shrimp eats almost anything it comes across, so you can have other fish or even other inverts in the tank (Unless they are very large). The need areas to hide (They like to burrow under live rock, ect.) They should have a tank of at least 15 gallons. Pretty much a tank with one thing in it if you get it... very aggressive.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Yep, that's about it.
Lots of guys build special see-through burrows for them out of acrylic or pvc pipe, and use red-colored lights to fool them into coming out in the daytime.


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## Dragonbeards (Dec 14, 2008)

Yeah, I already know that they are aggressive, which was one of the drawing points for me (weird, I know). In the article, it said that he had just a sponge filter. Would I be able to do this too? And what about water parameters? I assume for the water parameters I should treat it like a normal saltwater tank?


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## Dragonbeards (Dec 14, 2008)

OK, so, I reread the article and wrote down everything I know about mantis care, from what the author said in his article.



He keeps his in a 8-gallon nanocube with 3 inches of aragonite sand.
The decorations in the tank consist of live rock and dead coral.
The only other items in the tank is two sponge filters.
The mantis shrimp is fed dead fish or crab/shrimp
The mantis shrimp is fed once every 3-4 days.
Anything else I need to know (besides parameters)?


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## Hoyo12 (May 18, 2009)

Not really, besides it shouldn't be housed with anything. That just about covers it.


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## Dragonbeards (Dec 14, 2008)

OK, thanks. Now just to convince my Dad that this would bee an awesome addition to the "boatload" of pets we already have.


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## Dragonbeards (Dec 14, 2008)

Just curious, but what mantis shrimp species and fish species would get along together well, and what size tank would I have to have?


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

Well smaller Mantis species would be fine with Large Tangs Angelfish and any other reef safe large fish.


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## predator (Jan 28, 2005)

there are many kind (usually broken into spearers and boppers...) they all requrie differnt stuff, but most are tiny and can be kept in somethng like a refuge...

http://www.stomatopod.com/phpBB3/viewforum.php?f=20

-me


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