I recently got a peacock mantis shrimp, today I fed it a small emerald crab. It attacked and killed the crab, as expected, then dragged it to its small relatively inaccessible cave/hole in a piece of live rock. My first question is, Should I be worried about Water fluctuations with the dead crab in its cave? It's a ten gallon tank so obviously I want to keep it as stable as possible. My second question is does anyone have any tips on how to get mantis shrimp on to pellets? I will continue to throw in crabs every once and a while but I would like to get him on pellets for the time being.
Mantis Shrimp Question
- Thread starter jackmerius27
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Jlentz
Active Member
If it's actually a peacock 10 gallons is too small. They'll bust out the tank, or jump out. It's also hard to keep the water quality super stable which peacocks absolutely need.
A 40b is perfect for a peacock and it should be pretty stable, you can put enough live rock in to absorb some of the bigger meals breaking down.
I feed my peacock frozen clam, and small frozen shrimp. He doesn't like crabs other than hermits very much but really enjoys peeling snails off the glass. He will also take a fish from time to time.
I've seen a bunch of mantis identified as peacocks when they are not, look at Roy's list and confirm what exactly you have first. http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthro...ostraca/royslist/species.php?name=o_scyllarus
If you do have a peacock make sure it can't jump out first. Then figure out how to get a bigger tank for it or get a smaller one that's perfect for a 10gal like a g smithii. The real peacock is the hardest to keep.
A 40b is perfect for a peacock and it should be pretty stable, you can put enough live rock in to absorb some of the bigger meals breaking down.
I feed my peacock frozen clam, and small frozen shrimp. He doesn't like crabs other than hermits very much but really enjoys peeling snails off the glass. He will also take a fish from time to time.
I've seen a bunch of mantis identified as peacocks when they are not, look at Roy's list and confirm what exactly you have first. http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthro...ostraca/royslist/species.php?name=o_scyllarus
If you do have a peacock make sure it can't jump out first. Then figure out how to get a bigger tank for it or get a smaller one that's perfect for a 10gal like a g smithii. The real peacock is the hardest to keep.
Right now the shrimp is a baby, probably 2.5- 3 inches. I am living in a dorm right now so a ten gallon is all we can do at the moment (at home I have a larger tank for him) so when I go home for the summer and when I am living in an apartment next year I can keep him in a more suitable tank. but I've had him for a week and he seems to be okay, I'm just concerned that if he kills a crab then brings it back to where I can't get to it, will it mess up the water a ton.
Jlentz
Active Member
This. If you see it laying outside the burrow take it out. They won't really take it in the burrow to let it rot, they are neat freaks.
Lionfish Lair
Renee
Mantis shrimp tend to bury uneaten food. They want to be able to get to it later.
