Peacock Mantis Shrimp, what tank?

[jehsaircah]

Hey everyone!

So my partner wants a Peacock Mantis Shrimp for Christmas, I've put a deposit down on one with all the kit and caboodle to go with it. the tank they sold me was a £90 acrylic with filtration system built in. (Also bought salt water and sand) Now I have found the exact same one for around £50 cheaper on Amazon and another one for £60 cheaper with a similar spec. Could anyone please look at the two tanks and tell me whether they are any good for around 2.5inch shrimp? I have ordered the second one but if it is wrong I will send back and buy the one that is the same as in shop. The links are below.

exactly the same as in shop: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Litre-Mini-...89&sr=8-1&keywords=15+litre+plastic+fish+tank

Similar spec: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Marina-1285...qid=1449764546&sr=8-1&keywords=marina+360+10l

Thank You for any help you guys!

 

[Squatch XXL]

I'm in the USA and we don't use metric measurements. Iirc 1 gallon is 3.78 liters. I personally would not keep a large critter in less than a 40 gallon.... (approx 160 liter). They can grow in excess of 6 inches, and can certainly break the thinner glass of smaller tanks. Check out my chronicle, as it may help you work decisions. Also acrylic will be stronger than glass and can take a beating that glad can't.


Good luck

 

[jehsaircah]

15 litre is roughly around 4 gallon. The man in the aquatics shops said 15 litre would be fine as long as it is acrylic, but will need a bigger tank once he grows. Now he is telling me the tank I have ordered will not house the shrimp because proteins will build up in the water, even though I was also told that the tank didn't need a filter because you buy the salt water and change it. Sooo out of my depth, haha! Will have a look at your chronicle though, Thank You.

 

[Squatch XXL]

Now that I am at a respectable computer with a keyboard (was on phone with prior post)....

The man in the aquatics shops said 15 litre would be fine as long as it is acrylic, but will need a bigger tank once he grows. Now he is telling me the tank I have ordered will not house the shrimp because proteins will build up in the water

This is all somewhat true. Protein skimmers are filters used in saltwater tanks, and they use lots of very small air bubbles to cause "Gunk" to bubble out of your tank. This saves some time between water changes. In smaller systems, it becomes unnecessary because a simple water change will remove the dissolved toxins. It is a matter of cost, because changing 10% water in a little tank is cheap and easy compared to a large tank.

Though the idea is that this critter will grow and need a larger tank, I disagree with this advice though it is true. I disagree on the principal that it is actually cheaper to simply get the "end product" now and grow into it.

Study stomatopods via the web before you commit. I was a reef keeper about 15 years ago....back when no one wanted mantis shrimps.....The only reason I set up my current tank was for the life span of one Peacock. I did not design one thing with the tank for any other occupants, and only added some lights to propagate low light corals.

With this being a "bottom dweller" you can use more shallow tanks that have larger surface area, and have less water volume overall, but still have plenty of space to run and hide.....Wider is better than deeper for this species in my opinion.

My tank is 90cm x 45cm (45 cm-ish tall as well), but only holds 160ish liter.

If your local fish store (lfs) has told you certain things that you question, you are perfectly within your rights to get second opinions (internet or other store). The internet has changed the hobby drastically. When I kept a reef before, all of my info was in books based on an individuals observation. Now days I trust the collective intelligence of many trustworthy "amateur biologists" on web forums. I view fish stores as "storage units". I take with a grain of salt everything the employees say, because even a simple suggestion carried out can have huge implications to the water chemistry.

The peacock has one of the hardest strikes in the aquarium trade, and needs larger than a 15l all in one. However, If you are set on this tank there are certainly other smaller mantis that would be better suited.

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthropoda/crustacea/malacostraca/eumalacostraca/royslist/

This is one of my favorite sites for mantis. Dr Roy compiles the list and all known and observed data...as well as suggested aquarium size.


I wanted to add this before I forget it again. I do not think for a moment that the Peacock is the nicest of the mantis'. There are quite a few other smaller versions that are just as evil, and just as calculating that simply have much cooler patterns and colors.