Project: Mantis

[Doc]

they need to have more nutritious food with omega-3 fatty acids. don't do freshwater fish, it will not get what they need to survive. silversides are a better choice.

-Doc

 

[chaosfinity]

What size is the glass on that tank? With anything less than 3/8 it can really do some damage. When i was looking around at one of those i found out that a few people had them break the whole pain of glass and they were carpet surfing then.

 

[hotimportknight]

Its actually pretty thin glass. But I got a big baby of a killer I think. Plus its not really a smasher or crusher, its just got those little spear like sharp things on the underside of its claws. I can hardly get her to attack a fish or something when I wave it around the tank in front of her...

 

[chaosfinity]

Its not so much a matter of what the tips of their arms look like they throw elbow hits to smash. What are you waving the food with? what i have seen is using a plexiglass skewer so its clear and they dont see it as much as wood or plastic. The other choice is live fish or crabs. They do eat fiddler crabs that are a bit cheaper although im not sure how healthy that is. Live food is sometimes the only way to feed mantis shrimp as they will stop accepting dead things.

 

[RigoSharon]

nice mantis you have there hottim...by the way is the first time i see one yellow..so hows been feeding lately??

 

[hotimportknight]

A little more update on the mantis, had to dig up the thread. So far its been a fun experiment! Finally got in more substrate so she can play around and dig holes. A little more live rock. I also threw in some cheato to absorb some nutrients, even though I try to do a 1 gallon water change every week or less. (The tank is like a 4.5) gallon i think. I was thinking about making my own acrylic aquarium. She has been getting more and more aggressive and snapping at the glass when people are on the computer or just sitting here. Hopefully someone can give me some pointers here, and maybe this should be in the DIY section. I was thinking of getting some good quality acrylic and making my own tank for the mantis.
Here are a few picture updates of the tank so far. I'm just worried about nutrient buildup and space problems.

I'm thinking about building something to fit where my printer is right now:

directly next to the main aquarium, make it so it fits in the space just right, probably be around a 10 gallon or so. Now here is where I'm not sure if its going to work or not, but I dont see why not. Drill 2 holes in the back of the acrylic aquarium I make, small holes for bulkheads, maybe 1/2" vinyl tubing running down to my sump, have one just let water down to the sump and drain it into the first chamber, the other I want to pump water from the final chamber into the tank through a small pump. Is there anything wrong with this idea?
I guess if its safe, and a mantis cant some how breed with its self and deposit eggs in the water column I should be safe... Let me know what you guys think! Sorry for the crazy long post.

 

[hotimportknight]

Kinda like the setup my LFS uses, just a drain style overflow and a return. How powerful of a pump do you think would be required to get water about 4 feet from my sump up there and not be overly powerful? If project mantis ever comes to an end it could be a nice little tank I could keep sea horses or something in some day.
Next question is, has anyone ever worked with acrylic before? I'm thinking at least 1/4" acrylic to prevent shattering. I would also probably put on a top piece like most large acrylic tanks and leaving off a rim around the top.

 

[hotimportknight]

I just priced out 1/4" acrylic enough for just making the tank, they want around 60$ for just the acrylic! Thats outrageous! Fosters and smith has an eclipse acrylic 12 system is only 60$ at fosters and smith... Has anyone ever used one of those eclipse systems? I guess if its got the built in filtration I could skip plumbing it to my sump, therefore giving me more range from my display tank...

 

[hotimportknight]

Tomorrow weather permitting i want to head to dr. fosters and smith and pick up some stuff. One thing I want to get is a bigger home for the mantis. Has anyone used an Eclipse all in 1 system before? It sounds really easy and looks pretty decent. and its made of acrylic. I can get the 12 gallon right now for 69$. Has anyone used the eclipse systems before? I dont plan on getting the saltwater one because from what I can tell it just comes with some beginner saltwater equipment for the extra money. Now that I'm looking again its on backorder until the 24th it says, That leaves me with the eclipse 6 which is also on sale. The 12 wont actually fit on my desk in any way, too wide for 1 side and too tall for the other. The other option is going with the glass ones, the aquapod or the nano cube. But the main thing is, will those stand up to a mantis? I'm starting to get worried, the glass is thin on my other aquarium and it sounds really loud when she hits the glass... How sturdy are those glass ones?

 

[reeffreak]

Those small glass tanks aren't thick enough.Stay with an acrylic tank that you were suggesting to yourself.Get it from somewhere else if they are on backorder or wait.

BTW,Who are you talking too?????