4 gallon Mantis tank

[JamieSheffield]

This 4G Aqueon tank lives in my classroom, and recently I added a mantis shrimp to it.

I addition to some macro algae to absorb nutrients, I have some aiptasia and majano anemones growing in the tank.

Kiwi loves her new home, has emptied it of the snails which used to patrol the walls and rocks, and happily took a bit of shrimp from me the first time I offered it (at the end of my forceps).

Jamie

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[AsphaltPays]

Hey Jamie

Welcome to R2R it's great to see someone local Great looking mantis


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[dsmhero]

What a beautiful mantis! Makes me want to start a dedicated tank to one.

 

[hoanle]

Your tank inspired me to build a nano for shrimps only.
Thanks for sharing

 

[revsgirl]

That's awesome!! Welcome to R2R!!

 

[larryl]

Beautiful Mantis, thanks for sharing!

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Welcome to R2R and very cool Mantis!

 

[killereef]

what a sexy mantis

 

[REEFKEEPER10]

welcome to R2R. love the tank.

 

[JamieSheffield]

I have a few kinds of macro algae growing in a clump in the tank (it has some aiptasia and majano mixed in as well) and last night Kiwi went through it quite carefully, and pulled out enough strands of chaeto to make a ball that he's using as a door at the front of his cave...I love this guy!

Jamie


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[JamieSheffield]

I just added some snails and caulerpa to Kiwi's tank, and he is happily cracking shells as I work.

He has dug a network of tunnels under the 2 rocks in his tank, and likes to watch me when he thinks I'm not aware of it from the different "doorways" in his 2 houses.

Jamie

 

[skinz78]

Welcome to Reef2Reef! Great looking mantis tank!

If you haven't done so already please be sure to enter in this months membership drive contest.

https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/meet-greet-forum/85839-may-2012-reef-2-reef-com.html

 

[JamieSheffield]

I got an order from reefcleaners yesterday with some macro and snails for my tanks, and after dumping some of the snails into my Mantis tank, I noticed a tiny white thing floating/swirling around in the water...after a while it attached to the side, and I got a good look at it.

It's about a centimeter long when fully extended, and white...like a grain of rice. It has a pair of black antennae coming off the front end, and has been patrolling the front of the tank all day.

I can't find anything similar googling "white nudibranch", but I'm not worried, as this is a pest tank, I added some caulerpa yesterday to balance the aiptasia and majano...

Sorry for the pic, but it's the best I could manage at work...

Jamie


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[JamieSheffield]

I feel a little badly this evening...I got a shipment from reefs2go this afternoon, which included some stuff for my 20L and for my new 2G new pico...included in the box was an extra peppermint shrimp...I had felt that Kiwi's tank was a bit messy, and that the pep-shrimp was big enough not to get hassled, and that he might help clean up the tank a bit...

WHACK!

10 seconds after he hit the water, Kiwi came out and clouted him like Batman in the Adam West show I watched as a kid...the pep-shrimp sailed across the tank and lay on its back twitching...Kiwi is only a hair longer than this pep-shrimp, and she hit it so hard that Wintergreen shrimp have bruises!

Lesson learned...

Jamie



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[k2parkstar]

LOL, poor peppermint shrimp, I like your batman analogy through. Mantis shrimp freak me out!! Creepy little buggers.

 

[JamieSheffield]

Astoundingly, Twitchy the Pep-Shrimp is alive and..alive this morning in Kiwi's tank...he has improved since I saw him last night (at which point, I figured that he would be leftovers by morning), and is hiding at the top of the tank, by the powerhead.

I'm debating taking him home to one of my tanks there, or just leaving him in the Kraken Tank...he may do some cleaning, and if not, he will provide a meal for Kiwi at some point...doesn't seem any more cruel than for the snails I put in the tank...thoughts?

Jamie

 

[Cigar Sherlock]

Beautiful little Mantis! Pep shrimp survived the night, I'd give him a shot at making it a week. Then if he hasn't moved due to being too scared, move him to another tank as a reward for braving it out.

 

[JamieSheffield]

Pepp shrimp was eate the other day...I thought that he had molted, but no, the mantis had just hung his shell up in a macro outside of the den as a sign...

Jamie


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[mainereefer]

sorry, I will be against the norm, the tank is to small for a mantis! no im not the mantis police. but reminds me of a fat man is a little coat

 

[ritter6788]

sorry, I will be against the norm, the tank is to small for a mantis! no im not the mantis police. but reminds me of a fat man is a little coat

I see nothing wrong with that tank size. The minimum for an adult N. wennerae is 5 gal. so I don't see how one gal. less is not enough for that mantis. It will certainly never grow to be a fat man.


From Roys List,

Aquarium size (adult): 20 l

20 l = 5.28 US gallons