N. Wennerae/ Damselfish- 14 Gallon vs 29 Gallon

finkjor123 · 06/23/2011, 10:32 PM

Hello Reefcentral,
Over the past few weeks of researching mantis shrimp and how to keep them, I have come across a dilemma. I would like to have a basic tank setup with a N. Wennerae mantis, and a yellow tail damsel, but I cannot decide whether or not I should buy the 29 gallon biocube, or stay with my originally planned 14 gallon biocube. I will be buying liverock from tbsaltwater as I live nearby, and in addition to whatever creatures hitchhike on the rock, I will be adding blue legged hermits and possibly a turbo snail to help with waste management. So essentially my debate is whether or not I should spend the extra money for the 29 gallon and all of the additional expenses (more liverock, sand, water, salt, etc.) or if the 14 gallon will allow me to comfortably keep these specimens. I will not be expanding, as I will be going to college in less than 2 years, and will not be getting overly involved as I have allot of commitments. I will keep it at the two specimens, and I realize it is very possible that the damsel will be eaten. I have heard smaller tanks can be troublesome with water issues, but with just these hardy specimens will it really be that much harder than a 29 gallon? At this moment I see no reason to spend the additional money if I don't need to, but I work two jobs, so I could afford the 29 if I waited a little longer. I know I will be criticized for wanting the damselfish in there with the mantis, but I want something I can see once in a while incase my mantis goes MIA all the time in the rock. I would like to have the larger tank, but I cannot justify spending the money if I do not need to, or have a good reason to. Thanks for all the responses on other posts, I think I have all expenses planned for and the know how to setup and run the tank thanks to you guys, so help me out here. Thank you guys, and if the damsel is really a bad idea, is there anything else that would add vitality and give me something to view when the mantis is hiding? Thanks alot guys!

Agu · 06/27/2011, 06:53 PM

The 14 gallon will be more than adequate for an n wennerae mantis. I kept one for about five years in the middle chamber of a ten gallon sump.

However they are voracious and tenacious predators. Any small fish living with them will probably not have a long life. For clean up I'd buy the biggest snails I could find. Even a 1 1/2" turbo with a thick shell wasn't safe from the mantis.

My suggestion, set up the 14 for fish and have the mantis in a separate but connected tank/sump.

finkjor123 · 06/28/2011, 11:09 PM

good suggestion, but idk if i can handle two tanks. is a 10g really big enough for a mantis? and i am not 100% how a sump works... i will look it up, but there dosent appear to be any filter or anything?

huggybear1000 · 06/29/2011, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by finkjor123

good suggestion, but idk if i can handle two tanks. is a 10g really big enough for a mantis? and i am not 100% how a sump works... i will look it up, but there dosent appear to be any filter or anything?

a sump is basically an extension of a tank where people can run their equipment for the main tank without it being in view and it is usually smaller in size to the main tank. It also adds more water volume to a system.

ange062 · 06/29/2011, 02:02 PM

Good luck keeping anything alive in the same tank as a mantis, whether it's a fish, snail, or crab...

IMO a mantis requires a dedicated tank with nothing else in it.

huggybear1000 · 06/29/2011, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ange062

Good luck keeping anything alive in the same tank as a mantis, whether it's a fish, snail, or crab...

IMO a mantis requires a dedicated tank with nothing else in it.

qft
they are aggressive little buggers.

gemini aquarius(t) · 01/27/2012, 01:27 AM

Sorry to revive an old thread, but I would have to disagree on some level with the responses given.

I kept a N. Wennerae for about 4 years with other fish, snails, corals, and hermits.

Small snails were killed immediately (within a day or two), and hermits lasted about the same. But I bought them for temporary cleaning/exercise/food. Knowing that these were temporary additions allowed me to overstock the tank with them. I bought about 15 of each at a time. It worked fine. There were usually enough of them to provide their service before death. Kinda messed up when you think about it that way haha.

Kermit lived with a sixline wrasse for 6 months with no problems, and only when I forgot to buy him more CUC food, did he eat the wrasse. And after that, he lived with damsels, that got sick and died about 1 year after. The rest of the time he lived peacefully (REALLY peacefully, they slept together) with a PJ cardinal, until a heater malfunction wiped the tank out. (which he survived somehow...)

06/23/2011, 10:32 PM	#1
finkjor123 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 42	N. Wennerae/ Damselfish- 14 Gallon vs 29 Gallon Hello Reefcentral, Over the past few weeks of researching mantis shrimp and how to keep them, I have come across a dilemma. I would like to have a basic tank setup with a N. Wennerae mantis, and a yellow tail damsel, but I cannot decide whether or not I should buy the 29 gallon biocube, or stay with my originally planned 14 gallon biocube. I will be buying liverock from tbsaltwater as I live nearby, and in addition to whatever creatures hitchhike on the rock, I will be adding blue legged hermits and possibly a turbo snail to help with waste management. So essentially my debate is whether or not I should spend the extra money for the 29 gallon and all of the additional expenses (more liverock, sand, water, salt, etc.) or if the 14 gallon will allow me to comfortably keep these specimens. I will not be expanding, as I will be going to college in less than 2 years, and will not be getting overly involved as I have allot of commitments. I will keep it at the two specimens, and I realize it is very possible that the damsel will be eaten. I have heard smaller tanks can be troublesome with water issues, but with just these hardy specimens will it really be that much harder than a 29 gallon? At this moment I see no reason to spend the additional money if I don't need to, but I work two jobs, so I could afford the 29 if I waited a little longer. I know I will be criticized for wanting the damselfish in there with the mantis, but I want something I can see once in a while incase my mantis goes MIA all the time in the rock. I would like to have the larger tank, but I cannot justify spending the money if I do not need to, or have a good reason to. Thanks for all the responses on other posts, I think I have all expenses planned for and the know how to setup and run the tank thanks to you guys, so help me out here. Thank you guys, and if the damsel is really a bad idea, is there anything else that would add vitality and give me something to view when the mantis is hiding? Thanks alot guys!

06/27/2011, 06:53 PM	#2
Agu Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Sarasota, Florida Posts: 30,279	The 14 gallon will be more than adequate for an n wennerae mantis. I kept one for about five years in the middle chamber of a ten gallon sump. However they are voracious and tenacious predators. Any small fish living with them will probably not have a long life. For clean up I'd buy the biggest snails I could find. Even a 1 1/2" turbo with a thick shell wasn't safe from the mantis. My suggestion, set up the 14 for fish and have the mantis in a separate but connected tank/sump. __________________ Less technology , more biology . Current Tank Info: 30 gallon half cube and 5.5, both reef tanks

06/29/2011, 02:02 PM	#5
ange062 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Houston Posts: 3,223	Good luck keeping anything alive in the same tank as a mantis, whether it's a fish, snail, or crab... IMO a mantis requires a dedicated tank with nothing else in it. __________________ JBJ NC28, Radion, MP10, HOB-1, Mini Arctica, 2LF Phosban 150's - MARSH May 2012 TOTM JBJ 3g Picotope, Panorama Pro, AC70 29g AGA Planted FW

01/27/2012, 01:27 AM	#7
gemini aquarius(t) Always Learning Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Hollywood, FL Posts: 5,099	Sorry to revive an old thread, but I would have to disagree on some level with the responses given. I kept a N. Wennerae for about 4 years with other fish, snails, corals, and hermits. Small snails were killed immediately (within a day or two), and hermits lasted about the same. But I bought them for temporary cleaning/exercise/food. Knowing that these were temporary additions allowed me to overstock the tank with them. I bought about 15 of each at a time. It worked fine. There were usually enough of them to provide their service before death. Kinda messed up when you think about it that way haha. Kermit lived with a sixline wrasse for 6 months with no problems, and only when I forgot to buy him more CUC food, did he eat the wrasse. And after that, he lived with damsels, that got sick and died about 1 year after. The rest of the time he lived peacefully (REALLY peacefully, they slept together) with a PJ cardinal, until a heater malfunction wiped the tank out. (which he survived somehow...) __________________ -Xavier Blue Thumb Aquatix @BTAquatix

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06/28/2011, 11:09 PM	#3
finkjor123 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 42	good suggestion, but idk if i can handle two tanks. is a 10g really big enough for a mantis? and i am not 100% how a sump works... i will look it up, but there dosent appear to be any filter or anything?