Mantis Tank

[tj51]

I saw the below vid on Aqua SD's site and decided I wanted him ("Attila'). I bought a 28 biocube and moved about 20+ lbs of live rock from my 180, and used water from a water change for start-up water in the cube. I am using new sand and seeded it with a cup of live sand. I figured that it wouldn't need to cycle, or it'd be a small quick cycle.

First night nitrates were 40 PPM, no ammonia. Next day 0 nitrates, so I figured I had beneficial bacteria. I put about 8 hermits in with a piece of shrimp and ammonia shot up to 4.0. It's been 5 days and high ammonia, no nitrates or nitrites, so the tank in fact is cycling (is this necessary on a mantis only tank?)

Today I added another 3-5 lb rock from my 180 and did a small water change as I felt 4.0 was to high (it's about 2.5 now). I have dosed Stability yesterday and have macrobactor7 arriving today.

"Attila" was due to ship on Tuesday but I've asked Will to possibly hold for a few more days.

I do have a PVC tube partially buried and I put some sheets of acrylic on bottom of the tank. Anyway else with a mantis tank is more than welcome to make suggestions!


Thanks

Tj

Hungry Mantis Shrimp at Aqua SD - YouTube

 

[iretthepirate]

I always recommend using live everything all live sand all live rock i've never had to cycle any of my tanks because of this. Obviously ideally u want your levels to be zero but if they are very small then u shouldn't really have a prob. I wouldn't put a invert in a tank that had any ammonia though or nitrate level that was above 10. Just make sure u acclimate him slowly some people use the drip method but I use a shot glass. I either use 1 ounce (1 shot) or half a shot every 5 mins depending how delicate the animal is i'm putting in. just double the water volume he's in with your water and hell probably be fine

 

[iretthepirate]

PS u don't really need a pvc pipe in there if u have plenty of holes, caves nooks and crannies in your rock. they make their own house. Just make sure u have loose rumble for them also to full up the gaps i'm their hole they choose but leave the pvc in there I guess until u see him actually choose a place

 

[ritter6788]

, so the tank in fact is cycling (is this necessary on a mantis only tank?)

It is absolutely necessary. Mantis are very sensitive. I would at the very least add some "bacteria in a bottle" like Dr. Tim's and stabilize that tank quickly as possible. If you have high ammonia now you are going to have Nitrites soon which are killer. If you had established liverock then the raw shrimp wasn't likely needed. I'd take it out and do some water changes to get the Ammonia and Nitrites down to zero.

 

[tj51]

PS u don't really need a pvc pipe in there if u have plenty of holes, caves nooks and crannies in your rock. they make their own house. Just make sure u have loose rumble for them also to full up the gaps i'm their hole they choose but leave the pvc in there I guess until u see him actually choose a place

Attila is 5" so he won't fit in any holes in the rock and the sand bed is only 2-2.5 inches so he'd have trouble burrowing to deep. Thanks for all the advice!

 

[tj51]

It is absolutely necessary. Mantis are very sensitive. I would at the very least add some "bacteria in a bottle" like Dr. Tim's and stabilize that tank quickly as possible. If you have high ammonia now you are going to have Nitrites soon which are killer. If you had established liverock then the raw shrimp wasn't likely needed. I'd take it out and do some water changes to get the Ammonia and Nitrites down to zero.

I took out the raw shrimp a couple days ago. I'll start doing some water changes tomorrow. Will at Aqua SD said he'd hold Attila until I was ready, so I want to do this right! thanks for the help