new mantis tank... roommate suggestions!!!!!!!!

[fiorano]

so i am upgrading my mantis tank from a 15 gallon to a 29 gallon.since there is all this extra space now i was thinking of adding something else to the tank as well. i was thinking maybe a dwarf lionfish but though him and the mantis might kill one another ... g smithii mantis. sooo any insight on that idea would be awesome, so would other suggestions as well thanks!!!!!

[Polscot]

mantis exspecially smashers arent really agressive towards fish, if you are spot feeding him there is a good chance he wont even look at the fish, and even if your not you should be safe, mine only eats what i feed him and takes the occasional crab that goes into his lair....i keep mine in a 10g (upgrading to a 29) wish 2 small gobys a ton of crabs and he dosent even look at the gobys even when they swim right by the opening of his home

[AHHope]

personally i think angles and clowns are the best tankmates for mantises due to their personality but you have to make sure they have no intrest in cheaper fish first. At first i only kept my smithii with damsels but after i got more comfortable with him i can even keep cleaner shrimp with him and he leaves them alone.

[fiorano]

thanks guys!!! i didnt even think of an angel. that might actually be cooler then a lionfish ha ha. just got my 29 running last night so pumped now

[reefwars]

any angel will be too small for a 29g even a dwarf imo, their active fish like tangs and need room .i would stay away from grazers as theyll be around your mantis's rock alot.personally i would get a fast moving open water fish ,even if it doesnt have an appetite now it may change later its a predator and its built in to its genes also stay away from ground fish unless your tank is acrylic because if he goes after a crab or something and misses their strike is strong enough to break your glassi also have a g.smithi he doesnt move much in the tank but he hunts at night and will open his food menu more as he gets bigger and needs more foodcheers

[AHHope]

Originally Posted by reefwars

any angel will be too small for a 29g even a dwarf imo, their active fish like tangs and need room .i would stay away from grazers as theyll be around your mantis's rock alot.personally i would get a fast moving open water fish ,even if it doesnt have an appetite now it may change later its a predator and its built in to its genes also stay away from ground fish unless your tank is acrylic because if he goes after a crab or something and misses their strike is strong enough to break your glassi also have a g.smithi he doesnt move much in the tank but he hunts at night and will open his food menu more as he gets bigger and needs more foodcheers

the whole thing about a mantis being able to crack glass is bs. Ive been chatting with Dr Roy Cadwell about that very topic. Yes it is possible for a mantis to crack glass but you would never keep a full sized peacock in a 5g. Ive had my peacock hit the glass of my 32g and i felt it but no crack.