Thinking about a tank for a mantis

Hmmmmm...ok I'll research some more. Maybe I'll have a build thread going in a few months

I remember when we were setting up our 46g tank, our first saltwater ever. 2 months of research before buying anything, then 3 months of research total before we added saltwater. It was well worth it though.

 

Yeah I would research it before getting one. There are a lot of different species of mantis. Most of them will not be able to crack the glass, however I don't want to take the risk lol.


here are the pics of my tank.




I dont have nearly enough rock yet. I just put one little piece in lol.

 

Yay happy to see some pics up and going! Can't wait to see a mantis in there. Cool stuff

 

I can't either haha. I would also like to see some more rocks. I still need to make something to keep him away from the heater.

 

along with the rock get some PVC tubing from the hardware store. They LOVE going in there. That is where my peacock has his den. He has a couple other ones here and there but he was in his PVC tube that came from his tank at the store.

Jwin if you want a peacock in college you can get a 24 nano or a 28g biocube. That is what Bob is in and he had plenty of room.

 

Yep. I am going to set up some PVC tunnels and stuff for him.

Yeah a 24 or 28 gal would be fine. He however would not be good in my 10 gal considering he could grow to within 3" of the width of the tank.

I am looking for a Gonodactylus Smithii (purple spotted mantis) 4" max, a neogonodactylus wennerae (Caribbean rock mantis) 3" max, or a neogonodactylus oerstedii (rock mantis) 3" max.

 

Go for the Smithii. They are braver and have more personality than the other two species.

 

Thats my first choice but it will probably end up being whatever I can find.

 

Not much to update.

Stuck two pvc elbows in the tank. I am going to get more rock tomorrow.

No lucking finding a smithii so far. I found a place that I can get a wennerae from about two hours away.

 

Not sure if anyone is following this thread but I got another rock. It came with several hitch hikers. I have what I think is a vermitid snail. I saw what looked like a spider web, I also have a bristle worm, and I noticed an amphipod hitch hiker from the first rock.



the rock I added today was 8.5 pounds bringing the total up to 9.95 which I am rounding up to 10 pounds in my sig. ;D

here is a picture of my bristle worm:

I think he is nifty because he is a two-tone bristle worm. All the others I have seen have just been red.

I also have my heater up and running. Tomorrow I am going to attempt to make something to keep the stomatopod away from the heater, and I am going to start doing water tests. When the cycle is finished I will add some hermits and snails. If they do alright I will be adding a wennerae mantis.

Although I would prefer a purple spotted mantis I can't seem to get one for less than $50. So I am going to get a wennerae for ten dollars and start saving for a peacock mantis tank. ;D