Reef safe mantis shrimp?

Shabalaba · Oct 23, 2017

Is there such a thing? Is there a species of stomatopod that has no interest in corals or fish? I don't mind it taking out some hermits and snails. Also the aquarium is a 125 gallon with a 4 inch sand bed and is well established.

RyanSweet · Oct 23, 2017

I had a green mantis (smasher, not spearer) in a small reef. Never bothered any fish, coral, or my long spine urchin. Any shrimp, crab or snail was fair game though.

Shabalaba · Oct 23, 2017

RyanSweet said:
I had a green mantis (smasher, not spearer) in a small reef. Never bothered any fish, coral, or my long spine urchin. Any shrimp, crab or snail was fair game though.

Do you remember or know if it Gonodactylellus viridis? Which is the species I've most considered..

RyanSweet · Oct 23, 2017

It was Gonodactylus chiragra. My lfs ordered it in as a peacock (Odontodactylus scyllarus) but received the chiragra from their supplier. I went ahead and took the little guy/girl home because they were going to destroy it had I not. Turned out to be a great addition and lived a little over 3yrs before the tank crashed (error on my part). Didn't touch any corals, other than some zoas that it covered digging around, and didn't look at any fish. My female clown would chase the mantis if it got to close to her nem. But I did keep the mantis very well fed.

Shabalaba · Oct 23, 2017

RyanSweet said:
It was Gonodactylus chiragra. My lfs ordered it in as a peacock (Odontodactylus scyllarus) but received the chiragra from their supplier. I went ahead and took the little guy/girl home because they were going to destroy it had I not. Turned out to be a great addition and lived a little over 3yrs before the tank crashed (error on my part). Didn't touch any corals, other than some zoas that it covered digging around, and didn't look at any fish. My female clown would chase the mantis if it got to close to her nem. But I did keep the mantis very well fed.

Thanks for the info! I've heard chiragras can be aggressive so I didn't consider them as much, and perhaps now i will

Beardo · Oct 23, 2017

I have a neogonodactylus wennerae that came in as a hitchhiker on my live rock. Been in the tank since 1/2016 and never bothered anything besides the occasional snail and crab.