Mantis shrimp from live rock

[valley]

Hello, I have a mantis shrimp that came from my live ocean rock. I think it’s a neogonodactylus wennerae because it’s pretty small and has a similar color. I planned on having a mixed reef tank and so I’d like to know if this mantis shrimp is reef safe. Can it be housed with other fish and coral?

 

[BubblesandSqueak]

I don’t think any mantis is red safe. I’ve had one for 5 months and have seen it like twice. ~1.5” long. It resides with an octopus currently. So when my snails and crabs disappear, not sure who did it. But it needs to eat too.

 

[Stomatopods17]

Its safe around corals as they make their 1 cavity and should just stick to it permanently.

Fish there's a risk, smaller ones especially but even a large fish getting hit defensively could domino into infections from the injury, fracture a bone, etc. I had a damsel fish for 18 months (it disappeared) with my O. scyllarus.

Inverts same thing if they're large, if they're small they're just food.

 

[GlassMunky]

Yea shouldn’t be an issue as long as it’s not a super small tank with small fish.
I have one in my 220 now, the sole survivor of the 5 that showed up in my live rock. We’ve tried many time to get this out but he just won’t, so at this point he’s just in there.
Hasn’t bothered any fish that we are aware of, we see gobies and wrasses swim right by his hole with him watching them and hes been good. They could care less about corals so you’re good there.
The biggest thing they will probably go after is small hermits or snails as they do have to eat as well, but I’ve also seen mine swim out of his hole and grab food bits when I feed the tank too so who knows exactly how much he’s attacking anyone

 

[Hadla]

I don’t think any mantis is red safe. I’ve had one for 5 months and have seen it like twice. ~1.5” long. It resides with an octopus currently. So when my snails and crabs disappear, not sure who did it. But it needs to eat too.

What kind of octo? Love them!

 

[BubblesandSqueak]

What kind of octo? Love them!

She was an BiMac. She’s in my thread.

 

[William Chiavetta]

She was an BiMac. She’s in my thread.

Ive been thinking about getting one. Where do you think I should start?

 

[BubblesandSqueak]

Ive been thinking about getting one. Where do you think I should start?

it's a big commitment but not long term since at most it would be 18-24 months. overflow boxes and top need to be secured so they don't venture. recommended tank size was 55 but I did it in a 112 which I felt was a much better size since she could stretch 2 feet arm to arm when full grown and probably helped to prevent her wanting out. She was pretty big when I got her so time left was greatly reduced. I think I. had her for 4 months. foods were daily of either 2 thawed frozen raw shrimp, 2 clams, 2 oysters, scallops and she snacked on snails and hermit crabs from time to time. Tank needs to be cycled for at least 3 months and have a few various cave sizes. skimmer and water flow. I used MP40's with covers that had smaller holes to protect tentacles. I was home the whole time we had her with no vacations. Very interactive and always wanted to grab my hand and pull me in. Never inked and never bit me. You'd need a bunch of baby toys too for entertainment.

 

[William Chiavetta]

it's a big commitment but not long term since at most it would be 18-24 months. overflow boxes and top need to be secured so they don't venture. recommended tank size was 55 but I did it in a 112 which I felt was a much better size since she could stretch 2 feet arm to arm when full grown and probably helped to prevent her wanting out. She was pretty big when I got her so time left was greatly reduced. I think I. had her for 4 months. foods were daily of either 2 thawed frozen raw shrimp, 2 clams, 2 oysters, scallops and she snacked on snails and hermit crabs from time to time. Tank needs to be cycled for at least 3 months and have a few various cave sizes. skimmer and water flow. I used MP40's with covers that had smaller holes to protect tentacles. I was home the whole time we had her with no vacations. Very interactive and always wanted to grab my hand and pull me in. Never inked and never bit me. You'd need a bunch of baby toys too for entertainment.

Would it be almost impossible to go on vacations?

 

[BubblesandSqueak]

Would it be almost impossible to go on vacations?

from the one I had it would be possible but I was planning on having someone come and feed her. was going to have a bunch of crabs in an acclimation box in my sump and have then dump them in in the middle. would have been away for 3 days only. I also have a camera on the tank and a next door neighbor on call. its in my build thread if you want to check it out.

 

[William Chiavetta]

from the one I had it would be possible but I was planning on having someone come and feed her. was going to have a bunch of crabs in an acclimation box in my sump and have then dump them in in the middle. would have been away for 3 days only. I also have a camera on the tank and a next door neighbor on call. its in my build thread if you want to check it out.

Thank you!

 

[Tired]

Smasher mantises are coral-safe, but not reef-cleanup-crew safe, and may pose a danger to your fish. They're reef-safe in approximately the way that a lionfish is.

 

[Hadla]

She was an BiMac. She’s in my thread.

Hoping to find one on the coast up here to keep for a few months

 

[Hadla]

Thank you!

Go create an account on tonmo.com if you haven’t already! Best info you can get is there

 

[William Chiavetta]

Go create an account on tonmo.com if you haven’t already! Best info you can get is there

Im on my way to make an account!

 

[Matt Carden]

I have a Mantis as a hitchhiker on direct from ocean live rock. Recently I got 2 sand burrowing wrasse which were pretty small and they disappeared after a few days. I have had this happen before and they turn up miraculously 2 or even 6 weeks later but no Mantis then. I believe this time the Mantis got these two Wrasse.

 

[alpenreef]

I have a Mantis as a hitchhiker on direct from ocean live rock. Recently I got 2 sand burrowing wrasse which were pretty small and they disappeared after a few days. I have had this happen before and they turn up miraculously 2 or even 6 weeks later but no Mantis then. I believe this time the Mantis got these two Wrasse.

They may reappear. My melanurus wrasse disappears for days sometimes. I have at least 2 mantis from gulf live rock but I am only worried about snails and hermits

 

[CMMorgan]

Just discovered one tonight. It's a wee little thing creating a burrow right up front in the tank. I can only see the little face right now, so it's gray. I don't want to chase it yet because he may move someplace that I cannot find it. It must have snuck in with the live rock a couple of months back. I can't believe we are just seeing it. I wonder if that is why I have not seen my peppermint or my serpent star?
I have a pretty extensive cleaning crew. Lots of snails and little crabs. My favorites are the two Florida Fighting Conchs. Is the general concensus that we either get the mantis out or put your CUC on autoship for replenishment? All of my fish are bigger than the mantis, so it will be a while before he goes after them. So long as he doesn't go after my yellow tang, I can forgive the snails.

 

[alpenreef]

Just discovered one tonight. It's a wee little thing creating a burrow right up front in the tank. I can only see the little face right now, so it's gray. I don't want to chase it yet because he may move someplace that I cannot find it. It must have snuck in with the live rock a couple of months back. I can't believe we are just seeing it. I wonder if that is why I have not seen my peppermint or my serpent star?
I have a pretty extensive cleaning crew. Lots of snails and little crabs. My favorites are the two Florida Fighting Conchs. Is the general concensus that we either get the mantis out or put your CUC on autoship for replenishment? All of my fish are bigger than the mantis, so it will be a while before he goes after them. So long as he doesn't go after my yellow tang, I can forgive the snails.

I have 2 mantis in my 180 gallon, they came in with gulf love rock. I found it impossible to trap them so I am not even trying anymore. One of them grew to twice its size and is out in the open all the time. He is actively hunting hermits and urchins, I have resupplied hermits in bulk to keep them happy. My fish seem to be safe except my mandarin dragonet which one day ended up headless.

 

[CMMorgan]

I have 2 mantis in my 180 gallon, they came in with gulf love rock. I found it impossible to trap them so I am not even trying anymore. One of them grew to twice its size and is out in the open all the time. He is actively hunting hermits and urchins, I have resupplied hermits in bulk to keep them happy. My fish seem to be safe except my mandarin dragonet which one day ended up headless.

I had not considered the urchin. I have one - but Herman is enormous. TBH, he is a bit big for my IM - 80 but he is very entertaining and does a great job. I do fear for my conchs but I guess time will tell. They tend to keep to the sides and Gonzo appears to be setting up shop in the middle.
You have a lot more real estate than I do, but I'm glad it has worked out for you. I think I'm just going to roll with watch and observe for a while. If it appears to become a problem, I'll look into setting up a cube. I live in Florida and Hurricanes are a real threat, so I would rather not be responsible for multiple tanks (again) if I do not have to. This will definitely make me think twice about adding any small wrasse to the family right now though. Hopefully my royal gramma stays out of harms way. Good luck with the dragonet.