Anyone know much about keeping Stomatopods (Mantis Shrimps)?

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AceOfHearts

Small Fish
#1
Aug 6, 2007
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#1
When I was much younger and my dad was just getting into aquariums I remember someone bringing in a large bucket to the fish store we were in.

Inside was a weird thing that was as long as my forearm, and the people said dont touch it cause it could take my finger.

Now that Im getting more and more into keeping aquariums I want to know if anyone has experience with Stomatopods.

I'd love to keep one in the future but do not know very much..​
 

bigrojo28

bigrojo28

Small Fish
#2
Jul 18, 2006
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#2
I don't know much about them, but blueboard.rimlife.com/mantis/ Says that they clamp with the force of a .22 caliber bullet... So I guess it could take your finger...
 

ram man

ram man

Superstar Fish
#10
Apr 16, 2005
1,441
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#10
Right when I leave I'm needed... I have kept oh.. about 4 different species of mantis. All that I have kept have the same needs. Tank size can change depending on what species you get, a full grown peacock needs a 30 gallon or bigger. Small gonodactylids can live in a 5 gallon. All depends on what you want to keep. For feedings live foods are the best, hermits, snails, small shrimp are all good. All mantis shrimp need a place to hide and molt, small smashers hollow out rocks or dig under rocks, peacocks will dig uner a group of rocks and make a burrow, and spearers make U shaped burrows out of mud and sand. I am currently keeping some type of neogonodactylid, only a little more than an inch and it has already drawn blood. Little guy/girl has no fear.

I made a thread about the care of them a while ago, Ill see if I can find it.
 

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A

AceOfHearts

Small Fish
#11
Aug 6, 2007
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#11
I fell in love with the peacock ones i do believe.
Ive never dealt with anything saltwater before, so it'll be a while before I get into that.
It seems overwhelming and hard/expensive..

But my goal is to get a mantis shrimp one day..

I was thinking a 55g, but should I get it custom made?
I heard they can give the glass quite a beating sometimes.​
 

ram man

ram man

Superstar Fish
#12
Apr 16, 2005
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#12
A 55 gallon would be a great tank size, with peacocks all you need to worry about is them cracking the bottom when they dig, you can put a sheet of plexiglass or acrylic over the bottom to make sure no accidents happen. And a peacock set up isnt to expensive, low light set up, with about 20 - 30 lbs of liverock, and a deep sand bed. If you chose to do corals they would have to be low light ones. In high lighting peacocks have a higher chance of getting shell disease and it is deadly.
 

ram man

ram man

Superstar Fish
#15
Apr 16, 2005
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#15
Research, and they are interesting to me. Just as smart, maybe a little smart than octopi. Can see colors we cant see with our own eyes, and the way they hunt, when they are going to take down a crab you will notice the stop and think about the best way to get that crab, strike, the think again. And the way the stare at you with their googly eyes, no animal will look at you the same way a mantis does, almost as if they are studying you.

I need to go, but ill give you a care sheet to about 20, maybe a little more different species that can be kept in an aquarium.
 

ram man

ram man

Superstar Fish
#18
Apr 16, 2005
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#18
Thanks for starting the thread, glad to see some one else that likes them, not many of us around. Last mantis thread I saw was a while ago. And be sure to post picks if you get one, would love to see it.
 

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