Which mantis should I choose?

[Wtyson254]

I am planning on starting up a new Mantis Shrimp focused Nano tank.

The tank is a Lifeguard Aquatics Crystal 7.3 gallon peninsula tank.

I’m looking at the following species:

Neogonodactylus wennerae
Pseudosquilla ciliata
Gonodactylus smithii

Do you think one of these would be a good fit? Any other recommendations?

 

[StatelineReefer]

Viridis is a good choice! Stays relatively small and is easy to keep, as well as having a good personality and fairly long lifespan, as Mantis Shrimp go.

Falcatus is a close second in my book.

Spearers, such as P. Ciliata, may not like the small size of a nano, as they burrow in sand. Your mantis may end up spending most of it's time trying to dig into a substrate that doesn't exist. Wennerae or Smithii from your original list will do fine as long as they are given adequate shelter.

 

[Wtyson254]

Viridis is a good choice! Stays relatively small and is easy to keep, as well as having a good personality and fairly long lifespan, as Mantis Shrimp go.

Falcatus is a close second in my book.

Spearers, such as P. Ciliata, may not like the small size of a nano, as they burrow in sand. Your mantis may end up spending most of it's time trying to dig into a substrate that doesn't exist. Wennerae or Smithii from your original list will do fine as long as they are given adequate shelter.

Based on availability I went ahead and ordered a Neogonodactylus oerstedii.

 

[StatelineReefer]

Based on availability I went ahead and ordered a Neogonodactylus oerstedii.

If you want to make this species super happy plant a small seagrass bed in one corner of the tank.

 

[ReefGrammie]

I had a G. Smithii for several years. I'm sure your choice will be fine! They are a lot of fun and amazing to watch!

 

[Wtyson254]

I ended up getting a Neogonodactylus curacaoensis. He is in a critter keeper in my display until his nano is finished cycling. I decided to go with live rock from KP Aquatics and got the mantis from them as well.

 

[Sosuke]

Looks great!

 

[Wtyson254]

Thanks, here is my build thread.

Nano Build - William’s Quarantine peninsula

With social distancing having no foreseeable end in sight, my significant other gave me the green light on a pico/Nano bookshelf build. My Waterbox 70:2 will also appreciate this as I have been messing with it too much as of late. The tank will go where my pico contest tank Was previously. I...

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