clowns and Havenensis mantis?

So ive been contemplating a mantis tank, and i did want a peacock for a while, but the smaller size and colors of the havanensis mantis is equally attractive. Im wondering if the threat of the smaller havanensis would make the addition of a pair of ocellaris clowns and a nice big frogspawn coral possible. I think this setup might be interesting. Anyway, let me know what you think the success rate wold be of this combination, and if you are familiar with any other mantis species that might be more suitable.

Frogspawns are relatively easy corals to keep arent they? What care do they need?

is this endeavor to hard to pull off for a first time salt water setup?

Thanks
-Harrison

 

I would still be worried but im no mantis expert so ill let others chime in on this, torches are hardier than others but can still be tricky to keep, especially so if you plan on keeping clowns with it.

there is a chance the torch will host the ocellaris who will stress/kill it, this is how i lost a beautiful frog once despit my percula having a perfectly good bta to go to….

otherwise basic care needs are:

standard good water quality
medium lighting
low/medium flow

depending on what you feed your tank they will also catch and munch food particles floating around your water.

EDIT:
torch, hammer and frogs are all of the same genus "euphyllia"

a decent read for you

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2012/10/corals

 

are there any better/easier corals to use as a host for a pair of clowns?

 

bump

 

clowns will seek a home host in about anything if they don't find an anemone for their liking.

i have a black ocellaris that hangs about my montipora spongodes.

 

Mine has recently taken up hanging around my duncans

 

One thing you need to remember about mantis is that if the rocks are small enough, they will reaquascape for you. So I would put the coral on something fairly anchored down if I were you.

Some folks are saying that the clowns could host in the coral, but that is hit or miss. We had a pair of ocellaris clowns for 5 years and they didn't host in anything at all. We have duncans, frogspawn, hammer corals, etc, and they never showed interested.

The last thing to know is that you will have to accept the fact that you may lose the clowns. This all depends on the personality of your mantis. We kept a damsel with a G. Smithii for years without issue, and the mantis was about 4 inches long. They would even be in the same PVC with each other at times with no issues what-so-ever. Honestly the only issue I think they had was when the mantis would fling sand all over the fish. So, fish with mantis can definitely be done, but there are risks to it that you'll just have to accept. If luck is on your side, it shouldn't be an issue at all. Mantis are smart, they know what food they want. Plus, keep it well fed (krill on a bamboo skewer sure does the trick) and you shouldn't have an issue.

 

Jwin is right on the money. I also kept a weenerbe with an ocs. clown for a long time untill that day when I didnt notice that he had ran out of dwarf certhis to munch on. I think with the smashers that as long as they have food available that they like better than fish that they are "with caution" so to speak. After my clown got eaten I did a yellow tail damsel for the rest of the time I had the mantis. I also kept two emerald crabs in there because they were easier to spot and know if he took one down.

 

i wouldnt put the clown in the tank initially. You need to "teach" the mantis that you are the provider of the food. After a while, he will associate you with food and MAY stay away from the fish. However, there will always be the risk that the mantis gets hungry and his natural instincts kicks in, or.......just had a craving for a live fish. I had a damsel with my 12" peacock mantis however I waited a couple years before I added it. Mine too would hide out with the mantis whenever I was messing with the tank. I was also able to keep snails and crabs in the same tank with Bob, and she would only eat them if I dropped them in her den. HOWEVER, the mantis i have now, baby small peacock.......will eat anything that is in her tank. I made the mistake of stocking up on snails one day and putting them in her tank.........that silly mantis ate 14 snails in 1 day!!!

 

Emerald crab + G. smithii mantis = instant meal (for the mantis, that is)

I remember Bob! Glad you have a new mantis. Of course, =Jwin= wants a mantis in our up and coming refugium...