Mantis shrimp with other fish?

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

How about a tailspot blenny?

I believe those fish are very timid, right? Correct me if I am wrong, but probably not your best option.

 

[Cthulukelele]

How about a tailspot blenny?

Absolutely not that's dinner. Any small perching fish that can fit in a 10 gallon is a meal/murder for a mantis

 

[OrchidMiss]

Blennies and gobies should be out of the question as stated above. Perching fish are prey waiting to be smashed.
A shame they're so pricey, but a candy basslet would be a great nano fish. Unless you have some deep pockets, in which case, DO IT!

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Blennies and gobies should be out of the question as stated above. Perching fish are prey waiting to be smashed.
A shame they're so pricey, but a candy basslet would be a great nano fish. Unless you have some deep pockets, in which case, DO IT

Holy cow, I just looked at the price.

 

[Cthulukelele]

Honestly my choice would be a chrysptera damsel with the knowledge that it's likely eventually a meal. Maybe a month, maybe a year. A dottyback like in orchidmiss' tank is also a good choice but a bit big fully adult for the tank. The one they have is an orchid dottyback the nicest of the dottybacks. Some of the meaner dottys are likely to fight the mantis to the death when it is full grown (my money would honestly be on the dottyback)

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I feel like you are choosing a sacrificial fish... a 10 gallon is really small. Very few fish belong in a 10 gallon, certainly not a pair of clowns

Why not just get another nano tank for fish?

 

[Stang67]

You won't have an issue other than it's a 10g. Not alot of fish options for that size and mantis are very messy eaters so water quality will be an issue in that small of a tank even without fish. My mantis never went after fish and it also is a wenn.

 

[OrchidMiss]

I tried a Parrotfish, Murderbug was curious.

Not reef safe.

 

[cdemoss01]

Thank you everyone. I think ill do a dottyback! Thanks everybody!

 

[cdemoss01]

I feel like you are choosing a sacrificial fish... a 10 gallon is really small. Very few fish belong in a 10 gallon, certainly not a pair of clowns

Why not just get another nano tank for fish?

I would BUT im only 14 I do have another 10 gallon but sadly I have no space for it and my mom is already skeptical about a 3rd tank. 65 gallons salt, 45 gallons fresh, and this ten gallon. Four tanks would be hard to manage for example making RO water. No idea how I'm supposed to keep up with RO because all my tanks need it. If i could do a fourth I would!!!

 

[cdemoss01]

Honestly my choice would be a chrysptera damsel with the knowledge that it's likely eventually a meal. Maybe a month, maybe a year. A dottyback like in orchidmiss' tank is also a good choice but a bit big fully adult for the tank. The one they have is an orchid dottyback the nicest of the dottybacks. Some of the meaner dottys are likely to fight the mantis to the death when it is full grown (my money would honestly be on the dottyback)

Yea thats what im going for.

 

[cdemoss01]

How long do they live for? And where should I start the ordering process? I pretty much have everything except for a light to grow coral. Any recommendations?

 

[Rolf]

I’ve had a wennerae mantis (freebe from someone in my local reef club) in an IM 10 gallon with my breeding pair of occi clowns for a couple of years with no issues. The clowns swat the mantis away when it comes too close to their egg laying spot, but that’s the extent of the interaction. A downside with a small smasher is it limits your cleanup crew options. IME, small smashers are not interested in fish as food, but order of addition might be important for aggression.

 

[vetteguy53081]

They do coexist but mantis can be unpredictable. I had one that ate a dobella sea hare

 

[littlefoxx]

Hello all,
I am going to put a wennerae mantis shrimp in a ten gallon long tank. I was wondering if with coral could I put some sort of other fish with the mantis shrimp? Examples: clownfish, damsels, or a goby/blenny of some sort? Let me know if you guys know anything! I heard the wennerae are less aggressive?

I have had clownfish and my shrimp together for about 2 weeks. No issue. My shrimp is very shy

 

[cdemoss01]

I’ve had a wennerae mantis (freebe from someone in my local reef club) in an IM 10 gallon with my breeding pair of occi clowns for a couple of years with no issues. The clowns swat the mantis away when it comes too close to their egg laying spot, but that’s the extent of the interaction. A downside with a small smasher is it limits your cleanup crew options. IME, small smashers are not interested in fish as food, but order of addition might be important for aggression.

Thank you!

 

[cgarr017]

I’ll probably get a ton of backlash for this, but I ended up with 2 (!) smasher mantis as hitchhikers in my live rock and I just let it ride. Been about 3 months now in my 150 gallon and they live peacefully among clowns, tangs, blennies, gobies, firefish, corals, and don’t really bother the cleanup crew. They chase each other around every once in a while and eat fish food- frozen and flake. Who knew!

 

[cdemoss01]

I’ll probably get a ton of backlash for this, but I ended up with 2 (!) smasher mantis as hitchhikers in my live rock and I just let it ride. Been about 3 months now in my 150 gallon and they live peacefully among clowns, tangs, blennies, gobies, firefish, corals, and don’t really bother the cleanup crew. They chase each other around every once in a while and eat fish food- frozen and flake. Who knew!

Whoa that's impressive and awesome!

 

[rapid quality]

I haven't kept a mantis, but I'll give my opinion anyway. Ha.

It looks like that species is a small one, 3-4"?

I still wouldn't keep it with small fish that I cared about. Motile inverts like crabs would be food. Fish would be safer but not safe. A cheap damsel, I would try. I would think that corals would be okay.

I have six line wrasse with my peacock mantis and they are pals. The wrasse has even help in the hunt with a live crab that was hiding in live rock and mantis could not find the wrasse nipped and nipped the crab pushing the crab towards mantis to share a snack

 

[nereefpat]

I have six line wrasse with my peacock mantis and they are pals. The wrasse has even help in the hunt with a live crab that was hiding in live rock and mantis could not find the wrasse nipped and nipped the crab pushing the crab towards mantis to share a snack

Interesting. How long have you had them, and what's the tank size?