WOO WOO Peacock Mantis Shrimp!!!

[tonkajeep600]

Not too much to say at the moment but hell yeah to Nemo Aquarium in Lilburn!! Tomorrow I go to pick up my first mantis shrimp, putting the final touches on its new tank and coumting down the time til I can go get the little monster.

I'm thinking maybe in the future using the tank for som aggressive fish, so that I dont have a desolate tank. Thinking of the clown trigger, and maybe a lion. any other suggestions?

Also I have done quite a bit of homework on Mantis, but have not found anything as far as sexing the shrimp, not that I will, but it might be fun in the future to attempt breeding them. I have read about how it is nearly impossible to rear the young, but I am a stubborn SOB.

Any input will be greatly appreciated.

 

[cedzaquaddiction]

Welcome to the club, Man. I have a http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthropoda/crustacea/malacostraca/eumalacostraca/royslist/species.php?name=g_ternatensis">Gonodactylaceus ternatensis</a> named Kimbo Slice in a 55 gallon tank that I set up just for him. Most smashers do well around fish, but you are looking at getting some fish that may make a meal of your mantis. LOL. Check out my mantis tank build. I am housing several fish with my shrimp without any casualties at all so far.

The only thing I can tell you about the peacock mantis shrimp is that they are VERY sensitive to light, and can get shell rot very easy from bright lights and sub-par water...

Other than that, they are very hardy and entertaining.

You'll get all of the information you need here... [IMG]http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthropoda/crustacea/malacostraca/eumalacostraca/royslist/">http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthropoda/crustacea/malacostraca/eumalacostraca/royslist/</a>

Best of luck, and throw some pictures when you get it.

 

[tonkajeep600]

awesome and thanks for the info, i knew i would be pushing my luck with the fish i was thinking of, but i was hoping to match sizes to avoid aggression/slaughter lol. I also have a 55 set up for my shrimp, so i will pay close attention to your post. thanks again!

Edit: not sure how to edit post so i will pop in another...as far as lighting goes, just going to do 1 T8, enough to light the tank, but not real bright. i did read that they were sensitive to lighting, but wow to the shell rot.

 

[cedzaquaddiction]

That should be good for lighting.

Another piece of advice if I may. Try out a small cheap fish that you won't mind keeping for a month before adding other fish. Use the time to see how the peacock reacts to the cheap fish before adding more expensive fish. Just to make sure it doesn't bash them. Lol.

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[tonkajeep600]

yeah, thats a good plan. when you first put the shrimp into your tank what kind of hide time you think i should expect? a day or 2 or up to a week?

and after reading your mantis thread, any luck on making it hand tame for feeding/interaction? even though many people say its foolish, i do plan to try and "tame" mine as it becomes accustomed to me. they seem to be intelligent enough for some taming.

 

[tonkajeep600]

My new mantis, in Aarons tank at nemos. just got hime home, and have him acclimating to my tank. so freaking awesome. will get better pics when he goes in the tank.

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[cedzaquaddiction]

Cool. My mantis only hid for a couple of hours before starting to make his home with the various rubble he found in the tank.

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[curtismaximus]

Wow that's a big one! Is it a smasher or a spearer? I want to get one some day but I want a small one. Tagging alon to see how it goes! Good luck

 

[heathlindner25]

At the end of its tail there is two spikes , if the tips are white its a girl. If red its a boy. 90% of the time their girls, hard to find boys...

 

[tonkajeep600]

heathlindner25;879064 wrote: At the end of its tail there is two spikes , if the tips are white its a girl. If red its a boy. 90% of the time their girls, hard to find boys...

how sure are you and how did you find out? i have been trying to find info on that for quite a while and have been unsuccessful. thank you by the way!!

Edit:

Curtismaximus;879057 wrote: Wow that's a big one! Is it a smasher or a spearer? I want to get one some day but I want a small one. Tagging alon to see how it goes! Good luck

it is a smasher, hes not real big at the moment, its 4" long, and 1.5"wide. tomorrow when my light are on i will be looking to see if its a he or a she, but either way, it is very attentive. whenever i approach the tank it comes out to eye ball me then looks around and pulls back into its little home. have already fed it a chunk of shrimp and it seems to be quite happy.

 

[heathlindner25]

Reef central has a mantis forum ,thats where I learned how to sex mine...

 

[cedzaquaddiction]

Believe it or not, that's a pretty good size for a mantis. There are some spearers that get a little over a foot long, but smashers top out at around 7 inches.

I just re-read your post. Good luck on that hand feeding. Mine beats the he|| out of my thongs until I let the meat go...

 

[cedzaquaddiction]

Edit: Mine beats the he|| out of my tongs (not thongs) until I let the meat go...

 

[tonkajeep600]

CedzAquAddiction;879125 wrote: Edit: Mine beats the he|| out of my tongs (not thongs) until I let the meat go...

lol yeah i was wondering..... mine is pretty cool with me so far...so far lol. i have quite a bit of experience with agressive critters of all sorts, and even though this guy is just a shrimp i think i might have some luck. my wife says im nuts, but ive hand tamed far worse critters as far as potential injury goes.

currently im going to let him settle in and get cozy, then maybe in a few days i will drop in some "expendable" fish and see how that goes.

Edit:

heathlindner25;879064 wrote: At the end of its tail there is two spikes , if the tips are white its a girl. If red its a boy. 90% of the time their girls, hard to find boys...

white tips, ive got a girl....hmm guess i should have figured that out before naming her Leroy "The Punisher" Brown lol oops

 

[cedzaquaddiction]

Lol.
Loretta The Punisher???
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[tonkajeep600]

CedzAquAddiction;879194 wrote: Lol.
Loretta The Punisher???
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yeah but then the theme song wont work :sad:
bad bad leroy brown by jim croce. i just have to find a way to get a male, then do the name switch..no one will ever know...except everyone that reads this haha!

 

[cedzaquaddiction]

LOL. Gotcha. I have a feeling you are gonna fall in love with this one, and not want to switch out...

 

[heathlindner25]

And good luck finding a male..

 

[tonkajeep600]

heathlindner25;879227 wrote: And good luck finding a male..

Oh i am relentless when i get stuck on something. if i have any luck hunting some down want me to see about one for you too?

 

[heathlindner25]

tonkajeep600;879244 wrote: Oh i am relentless when i get stuck on something. if i have any luck hunting some down want me to see about one for you too?

One is plenty for me ...lol but thanks. the males also have a "V" shaped leg right at the beginning of their tail, but the easiest identification for peacocks is the two spikes on the tail.