Mantis or not to Mantis that is the question?

So I was working on getting my 8 Gallon Biocube ready for a Mantis. I was in my LFS today and when I asked the owners opinion he looked at me like I was crazy. His opinion was that if the tank was glass not to do it (the glass on bottom is tempered and would not withstand a hard hit). I have about a 1-2 inch sand bed, lots of rock and places a 1" PVC tunnel in the rocks for a cave.

What do you all think? I would really like to do this but do not want to make a mistake that would be harmful to the shrimp or my office

Thanks in advance!

 

He was insinuating the way they beat snails and hermit shells up against the glass to get them out so they can eat them. I have one in my 210g reef tank and he's quite a character if I must say.

When I first discovered mine he was living in my tank for many months and was a hitchhiker that I didn't see. I've learned a hard lesson so I dip any live rock in fresh RO water for a few seconds. They will jump right off the rock.

I have 1/2" glass and I was worried. Do you have any idea what it would intail to take down a mature reef in a 210 gal tank? I had to think a while before acting. Tried catching him in a trap? All the other fish went in there but him. So for now I reluctently feed enough food so he gets some. I know it's crazy but he's not attacking my fish yet because he's still smaller than 3" long but when that happens I'll have to get him out and put him in my refugium or a little 10 gal tank without shellfish.

 

What species would be good in a 8 gallon? It would be the only thing in the tank.

 

You can get a small mantis species and it shouldn't damage the glass. It would be best to put a piece of acrylic on the bottom. If you don't provoke them and the glass doesn't act as a mirror then it shouldn't hit the walls.

 

Kinda seems pointless to fork out all that money on live rock. RO dipping will kill everything on it including the bacteria. Just a thought.

 

anything besides a peacock mantis or a zebra mantis. they get big. and spearer or smasher such as

N. Wenerrae-smasher
P. Ciliata-spearer

those were the two i was looking at before. but now im not gonna get one. im getting a bigger tank instead.

 

This leads me to ask the following questions:

How big do the two you listed get?

What is the recommended minimum tank size for anything other than a peacock or zebra?

What is the recommended tank size for a peacock or zebra?

thanks,
elizabeth

 

All your answers are here. Roy's List of Stomatopods for the Aquarium

For a peacock (O.s.) I recommend a minimum of 20 gallons. For a Zebra (L.m.) I recommend a minimum of 40 gallons.

 

^^^ hes right. the two i was talking about get 4 inches.

 

I went through that list....wowza thats a lot of latin!
what an excellent resource though!