Need Suggestions For Mantis Tank Inhabitants

[ritter6788]

Here is my 8 gallon mantis shrimp biocube. It has VERY weak led lighting but so far it can support mushrooms and macroalgae. It contains, discus mushrooms, blue ochtodes, flame algae, fire fern, large feather duster, hermit crabs and of course my mantis shrimp. So far the mushrooms aren't stretching for light and the macro is growing but according to my lux meter I'm getting very low par from these lights. I'm looking for suggestions for interesting inhabitants. Not really looking to add corals other than my mushrooms but something else oddball that isn't too tough to care for. Anything you think might be interesting that doesn't need a lot of light and I don't have to feed 3 times a day. Not planning on adding any fish. Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[SnoQ]

How big is your Mantis shrimp? Any hermit crabs in my tank quickly become a meal so I'm surprised you can keep them around.

 

[ritter6788]

How big is your Mantis shrimp? Any hermit crabs in my tank quickly become a meal so I'm surprised you can keep them around.

About 2 inches. He doesn't bother the hermits too often and most of them may be too large to take down easily. I keep him well fed with krill so he's a bit lazy.

 

[ritter6788]

As far as corals go I pretty well know what I can keep in there, or at least attempt. I just don't want this tank to be the common GSP, xenia, leather tank. I am looking for other types of macro algae. I saw this on LA but it's a bit pricey for me.

Live Foods for Feeding Aquarium Fish, Inverts & Corals: Tufted Joint Algae, Cymopolia barbata

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

I kinda like the look of the shaving brush algae. The one thing with the green algae is that you may struggle with keeping them alive due to the lighting.