Mantis shrimp in barebottom tank?

KRAZE · Feb 1, 2014

Does anyone have any experience with Mantis Shrimp in a tank without sand? I have a smasher species, came in on some live rock. I have plenty of rubble rock, mostly broken up pieces of marco rock that was left over from making my aquascape. The setup is.a 30 breeder display with a 20l sump and a 5 gal fuge between the two, which is his home. The fuge I planned to keep without sand, just cheato and a few lbs of rubble but now that the mantis comes into play i was toying with adding substrate. Id rather not add any, so if someone with more experience with these guys could chime in that would be awesome! Thanks!

ritter6788 · Feb 1, 2014

What species? A small smasher would be fine in a BB tank given plenty of porous liverock and rubble.

Trumptitan · Feb 1, 2014

Kraze I kept my old mantis in a barebottom fuge for a long time just tons of rubble that he hid in. If you need help ID ing it Id be happy to help. Reminds me that I need to feed my orange spot in the morning.

mOnsterzOas26 · Feb 1, 2014

Trumptitan said:
Kraze I kept my old mantis in a barebottom fuge for a long time just tons of rubble that he hid in. If you need help ID ing it Id be happy to help. Reminds me that I need to feed my orange spot in the morning.

Sorry to hijack this thread , can u I'D my mantis please

Trumptitan · Feb 2, 2014

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthro...costraca/royslist/species.php?name=n_wennerae That would be my guess not being able to see the meral spot. He looks very similar to one that I used to have. Where did you get him?

ritter6788 · Feb 2, 2014

Agreed^^^

If you can see what color the meral spots are it helps a lot in IDs.

mOnsterzOas26 · Feb 2, 2014

Trumptitan said:
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthro...costraca/royslist/species.php?name=n_wennerae That would be my guess not being able to see the meral spot. He looks very similar to one that I used to have. Where did you get him?

The meral spot it's green , also the rock it came it was rock from Live Rock n Reef I think it's from florida if that helps

iretthepirate · Feb 6, 2014

I have my baby green mantis in a bare bottom with just 3 porous rocks he's super tiny maybe an inch big so keepin his tank minimal. He's doing fine however once he gets bigger I plan on adding him to a tank with sand. my other 2 are in tanks with sand and seem to enjoy it though. so I guess its just up to u

Eienna · Feb 6, 2014

I hear the big ones can crack a tank. Don't know if it's true, though.

iretthepirate · Feb 6, 2014

Eienna said:
I hear the big ones can crack a tank. Don't know if it's true, though.

there's only a few that can and that all depends on the thickness of the aquarium

ritter6788 · Feb 6, 2014

Only 2 species are know to bust tanks. Very large G. chiragra and O. scyllarus. I had a couple large O. scyllarus in a thin glass 37 gallon and it never broke. It sure tried though. It would make me jump at times. I never got used to the sound of a large peacock hitting the glass dead on. The tales of mantis shrimp busting glass are few and far between.

Trumptitan · Feb 8, 2014

I have read also that most mantis shrimp dont hit full force at the glass its more of a test shot to see what they are up against. Also they are more likely to hit the bottom glass in a moderate sandbed as they dig their tunnels. I think any of them with time and desire could pop a tank more likely with a tempered then non I would think. For a test tap a piece of tempered glass with the porcelain part of a spark plug just make sure you dont want the glass lol.

Islandoftiki · Feb 14, 2014

You're probably fine with a BB tank, but your mantis might have a tough time getting it's footing if there isn't something for it to walk on. My old G. Viridis would have been blown around a BB tank by the current if it was too much. If you can, provide your mantis with a PVC burrow. You can cover the PVC with epoxy, sand and rubble and corals to disguise it.