Nano Reef With Mantis Shrimp?

[Synirr]

I hate it when people ask such broad sorts of questions as I'm afraid I'm about to, but please bear with me

I had a fish-only saltwater tank for a while before deciding I prefer FW, but recently I've become obsessed with getting a small species of mantis shrimp (smasher type,) so I think I'm gonna try jumping into salt again. I read on a mantis shrimp forum that the smaller species can be kept in tanks even as small as 2.5 gallons (!), but I was thinking more along the lines of 5 gallons... what I was wondering is if it would be possible for me to kinda have a reef setup with live rock and such as well?

The shrimp would be the only big organism in there aside from a snail/hermit crab or two provided as snacks for him, but I think it would make the setup much more interesting if I could also have some polyps and live corals.

What kind of filtration would I need for that sort of setup? Protein skimmer? Refugium? Would I have to go the DIY route to find something small enough for a 5 gallon? I understand the basics of filtration for reef tanks, I just can't figure out how I would be able to do that with a 5 gallon.

I'll be doing a LOT more reading and such before I jump headlong into this, but I think I have the dedication to maintain such a tank if I can just figure out the logistics of how to get it up and running in the first place! The good part is I'll be working with hardy inverts, so at least they'll be a little more forgiving than most fish would be.

 

[steelhealr]

Hi...here are some thoughts:

1) Mantis shrimp tanks (which aren't really shrimp) are becoming more popular, and, as you know, are a species tank. Their chelae can injure your finger badly, so, be careful....I"m sure you know this already from your research.

2) You can do it with a 5 gallon, but, kinda puts you in a pico reef situation. Water changes should be fine and you shouldn't need to skim. The bioload for that tank will be low. If you DO want to skim, you'd have to drill the tank and skim a sump. Some pico aquarists have plumbed in a canister filter, not as a 'filter' per se, but for combined circulation and as a place to keep their media.

3) You could put the refugium in the sump.

4) You can definitely keep corals and setup with LR, but, make sure you pick corals that won't rapidly overrun it. Types that can grow rapidly include yellow colony polyps, xenia, encrusting types.

SH

 

[Synirr]

Thanks for the input, it's much appreciated!

Yeah, I know the mantids (wonder if that term is even correct with these guys?) can be nasty little fellas, that's part of why I want one. I like critters with attitude! I've also heard that some species can be very interactive.

I'd prefer not to drill the tank if I can avoid it; what would some alternative filtration methods be, if any? Would a HOB filter work? I'm partial to those since our house is not perfectly level and I've had a lot of trouble with my canister because of it... just ordered in a new impeller, gonna have to get that thing level this time. If I were to use a canister or HOB, I couldn't have a refugium, yes? Would it even be necessary, considering the water changes I'm likely to be doing on this thing?

Oooo I'm super excited now!

 

[steelhealr]

That's easy....you could add an AquaClear HOB filter and/or a mini power head. If you were partial to a 5 gallon, eg. you could add an AquaClear mini with a small powerhead if you needed high flow (eg Microjet 320) or AquaClear30 and make it into a small refugium. You could buy a Palm Light to cip above it.

Honestly, if you don't add fish..or....nothing more than the smallest fish (eg, neon gobies or court jester goby), you could get away with just water changes. So...for a 5 gallon, eg, you could do a zoanthid tank/ricordeas.

5 gallon tank
25 watt heater
AquaClear 30
5-7.5 lbs LR
5lbs live sand or bare bottom if you feel radical
This light might workhttp/www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=11382&N=2004+113345

just a framework...pick what you really want. SH

 

[Synirr]

Again, thanks so much for the help! That's exactly the kind of info I needed
I hadn't thought about having a fish... if I were to get one of the really tiny species of mantis shrimp that's harmless to fish a small goby would be really nice, now that you mention it, but that'll wait until I'm comfortable with just having the tank up and running.

My LFS carries live rock and sand, so it looks like as soon as I have enough money to get this thing rolling I can start piecing the tank together, woohoo! Now the only problem is finding a shrimp!

Edit: Oooo, found the perfect light. 2x18W bulbs, 2 switches for duck/dawn control, and a lunar light!
http/www.marineandreef.com/shoppro/power_satellite.html

 

[steelhealr]

Ooops..forgot about that mantis...a fish would be prey. SH

 

[Synirr]

Hah, yeah, that's what I was thinking. Maybe if I got the ~1" species of mantis it wouldn't turn out that way though

 

[OohFeeshy]

Good luck with this, I'm interested to see how it turns out I'd love the same/very similar setup (minus the shrimp and plus one of the tiny fish mentioned). How much are the species on the price list, btw?

 

[steelhealr]

Mantis shrimp species tanks are becoming very popular right now. They are extremely colorful and odd looking. Just watch your fingers...their chelae can split you down to the bone. SH

 

[bunjiweb]

you could maybe have a shrimp goby pair, there are some "mantis" shrimps that pair up with gobies to form a symbiotic relationship.

Ben

 

[Christs_Knight]

as most of you know i have a mantis tank
It stated out as a 15gal, but i decided for such a small thing he had to much space.
I recently went out and bout an Aquaone 320. (28L)
He loves it, alot more active now that he can claim the whole tank.
Smashers cannot split your fingers, none of the ones you will be dealing with so do not worry.
They need to have live food every so often otherwise they will molt and get rid of there appendages. They do this because they are not needed ne more and becomes more weight. So make sure he/she makes good use of them. I put my finger in so he can have a bit of a wack, it hurts... but it doesnt make you bleed.
They make quite alot of noise... so if you cant sleep with noises not a good idea. My mantis Constantly wacks the LR and can be heard doing so from my kitchen.
Fish can go with a mantis, add them at the same time. BUT! their diet consist of ne thing that moves, so you could loose it. But if well fed the mantis will not be bothered. Not 100% not even 50% that this works, but in some cases they live quite happily.
Bare in mind they are nocturnal, i do see mine, but only his top half, sometimes he will dart around but they are not very lively during the day. I feed mine live crabs, live snails, frozen mysis shrimp and white bait. They need about 2.5 - 3" of Substrate. I would go with the crushed coral sand, this will provide the mantis with a better home, they absolutly LOVE to build. Corals are fine with them also.
bunjiweb.... lol... if ne fish got as close as the goby and the pistol shrimps relationship... dinner.
Synirr tell me how its all going! i am very excited i inspired someone to get such a beautiful thing.
PM me keep me updated, i will help you out as much as possible.

 

[Synirr]

Smashers cannot split your fingers, none of the ones you will be dealing with so do not worry.

Aaactually, they can. Many species can punch with enough force to split your finger open. Click the link and scroll down a bit to see the painful looking proof
http/www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-03/...ature/index.php

Synirr tell me how its all going! i am very excited i inspired someone to get such a beautiful thing.
PM me keep me updated, i will help you out as much as possible.

Still haven't heard back from my LFS, but the owner is going to check for me next time she orders fish. I'll bet her supplier can get me a N. wennerae at least, since they're based in Florida. Like I said on another thread, they do have mantis shrimp on their price list, but it didn't say what species they could get.

 

[Navarre]

I have heard of Pistol shrimps pairing with gobies but never heard of a mantis pairing with a goby.

Pistols pair up because they have very poor vision and they use the goby as a lookout whilst the shrimp digs and maintains the burrow. A mantis has no need for this as its eyes are extremly well developed.. probably the best eyes in the animal kingdom, they can see every spectrum from infra red to ultraviolet and have 3 times more receptors to light identification than humans. Their eyes are on stalks and thus it gives them 360 degree visions so all in all its practically imposible to suprise.

Thus sharing with a goby would offer no benefits to the shrimp other than perhaps a snack later on

 

[Synirr]

It has begun! I just bought the first piece of my aquarium today.... a 12" glass lid!
Doesn't seem like much, but you have no idea how hard it was to find that thing. I also found a semi-local pet store that carries the Satellite light fixture I'm interested in and am having them order in a 12" 2 x 18W bulb unit for me... they also have some nice purple-tone LR I'll be grabbing up as soon as I can find a plain 5 gallon tank

 

[Ben]

It's a start!

Be sure to have a diary when you start it up!

Why don't you stop breeding Bettas and you'll have the space already

DD