lfs will GIVE me mantis!

the lfs says that when they finally catch the mantis in there reef tank that they will GIVE it to me. so far they know that it is brown lol. there are dead snails and hermits crabs everywhere so i think its a puncher not a spearer. but free is free right?

 

Unless you want to set up a separate tank for it, it's bad idea.

 

i have a ten gallon ready to go for one of these guys.

 

Then go for it. You are right. Free is free. You can throw in rogue hermits.

 

when i buy it im gonna buy like 15 snails for it, hope they catch it soon, its destroying their reef tanks snail population.

 

heh... probably the worst hitchhiker for a reef tank

 

Heck, if we didn't have our pistol shrimp and goby bulldozing everything I'd have a mantis in my reef tank. So many people just don't understand. Our LFS has a mantis or several in every reef tank in their store, and people don't realize it until they tell them. Then, of course, some customers flip out saying "you gotta get that out, it'll kill everything!" and my LFS replies with "Well, it's been in there since we opened the store, and hasn't killed anything yet."

 

If they'd feed it frozen food it wouldn't kill off their snails...

 

My lfs caught one... He offered to me but since I don't have a separate tank I said no. Then he said he will throw it away... BUT I suggested to feed it to the GIGANTIC puffer fish they have...

As soon as the Mantis hit the water the Puffer DEVOURED it.. One bite and he was gone!!
I could hear the crunching of the mantis while the puffer chewed on it...

It was FREAKING AWSOME..

 

Call me a wimp, but I just can't handle live feeding....