Green Stomatopod added to Refugium

[Almon]

I've been thinking about getting (another) one for a while, they're very cool. I unknowingly had one in my tanks for years that hitchiked in from some Caribbean maricultured rock. When I finally knew what it was, I wanted to get it out of the reef as soon as possible. I could not understand why I could not keep small fish....I would add them, see them once, maybe twice, and then never see them again.

 

I was at House of Tropicals two weeks ago and saw that they had two Mantis Shrimp for $9.99 each. So I thought about it for a few days and went back to look again. I decided to get the lime green stomatopod and put him in my 55g display refugium, thinking he/she would like blending in with the green macro algae.

 

He/she was put into a small isolation container with a piece of old red organ coral (nice contrast) and some macros for a couple of days before being moved into the refugium. The mantis shrimp immediately began making a home (Condominium) in the red coral by making tunnels and passages while in the isolation container. Lots of clicking going on.

 

I was considering putting pipefish and seahorses in this refugium as well. There are already hermits, snails, and an Arrow crab in this tank. Does anybody have any opinions on compatibility? I already know the mantis shrimp will take out the hermits and snails sooner or later. I added some specifically for that.

 

Here is a picture of the mantis shrimp in the holding facility in his condo after putting a mysis shrimp in with him.

 

This is a close up

 

This is the refugium about a month ago that that the Stomatopod will be making his/her new home in, the country estate:

 

Click the picture below to watch a YouTube video of the Stomatopod in the new country estate with hermit crabs wandering around. A higher resolution mpg can be downloaded, it's 50MB.

[dhoch]

I think the arrow crab is probably not long for this world, as would be many snails and eventually seahorses if you tried them.

 

Stomatopods like these are best held in species only tanks (refugiums are fine as long as you don't want other critters in there).

 

Dave

[jason the filter freak]

I wouldn't add anything else in there which you wish to keep. Inverts, fish, or hermits. All of them could fall victime to your mantis friend there. You could add a trigger though .

[Almon]

The Arrow crab is a temporary guest on the country estate while I re-setup the frag tank. He is on one side of the 4' tank and the mantis shrimp is on the other. I will probably be moving the arrow crab to the reef tank very soon.

 

I have read that some people have kept Seahorses and Pipefish successfully, but who know's for how long. Sooner or later, they will probably get smashed. My current Blue Tang, the one in the avatar, and a lunar wrasse lived with the hitchiker mantis for 8 years with any issues. I also have a Kole Tang and Clarkii Clown that lived with him for 5 years.

 

That mantis only killed the snails, crabs, and smaller fish, never the larger fish.