5 gallon mantis tank

[Anonymous]

I have had this tank for about 10 months with just some live rock and sand from my other tanks, as a home for a mantis shrimp that came in on some FL rock.

Just over a week ago I found a little Lights of America PC bulb that fit the fixture it came with, and I have been adding soft coral frags that come from my other tanks.

I don't know why I didn't get a better bulb and add some lower light softies before, this is going to be cute as it matures.

 

[Anonymous]

I really enjoy having a mantis shrimp as a pet, this tank is in the living room so it is easy to watch what he is up to.

 

[Anonymous]

This cabbage leather had popped of the main colony and was not doing well in the back of the tank of my 90 so I stuck it in the 5 gal. The leather has really perked up, I wish I had a good camera that would show the polyps well.

 

[Anonymous]

Mushroom

 

[Lostmind]

I like the colour of the mantis. Do you call him zorak? Cartoons are bad for you

 

[Anonymous]

Hmmm, zorak, is that from adult swim?
Very nice looking tank Laura, I've always wanted a mantis. Are there any snails/crabs in there at all, or does he kill them all?

 

[Anonymous]

Nice. Looks good. What do you feed him? I used to thow small snails in from my main tank!

I had a 7 gal set up for my mantis. Unfortunatly, my roomate forgot to add top-off water while I was on vacation. Now I don't have a mantis. I really miss watching him 'patrol' his tank.

B

 

[Anonymous]

Hmmm, zorak, is that from adult swim?

Yeah, seemed like the perfect name for a mantis.

Very nice looking tank Laura, I've always wanted a mantis. Are there any snails/crabs in there at all, or does he kill them all?

No crabs or snails in there, I feed him small snails that breed in my other tanks. I have never tried a hermit but I am pretty sure he would kill it. I feed him the snails and frozen mysis or raw fish bits, and he doesn't leave any scraps.

He does not seem to harm the small sandbed fauna much, so that little bit of sand stays pretty clean. I see worms and pods.

 

[Anonymous]

Nice. Looks good. What do you feed him? I used to thow small snails in from my main tank!

I had a 7 gal set up for my mantis. Unfortunatly, my roomate forgot to add top-off water while I was on vacation. Now I don't have a mantis. I really miss watching him 'patrol' his tank.

B

He is so entertaining. If I put a new rock or frag in the tank he has a very busy day checking it out.

The top off is kind of a pain, since I am used to bigger tanks with an auto top off. I just try and keep up with it and often as possible so the salinity doesn't change.

He loves small snails, but sometimes he just gets whatever frozen, usually mysis that I am feeding the other fish.

 

[Anonymous]

I have never had any of my mantis every touch any of my softies. I don't believe that I would try to attempt an SPS in one though. For my smaller species, I've always just used waterchanges and I would periodically put a Prizm skimmer on the tank. For peacock mantises, I always run a skimmer 24/7.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Laura,

Sweet nano tank. Is that a smithii? Where did you buy the rock he came on? I have been trying to acquire one for some time now, with not much luck.

TY,
-me