File :-(, x, )
Anonymous
So I've been considering getting a Mantis Shrimp, their behavior and mannerism is extremely interesting to me, and they look quite awesome.

Problem is, I've never had a salt water aquarium, only my freshwater one with some Labeo Bicolors and a few angelfish.

What equipment should I be looking at to make a suitable saltwater home for a shrimp?
>> Anonymous
I'd recommend some books, but I can't think of any off the top of my head.

Whatever you do, add a refugium. It will make things easier in the long run.
>> Anonymous
You need a large pot and a stove and 2 litres of boiling water.
>> Anonymous
read lots of books, get some steel gauntlets(they call them thumb splitters for a reason), a good hang on the back filter, and a good protein skimmer also a tank that you don't mind having completely destroyed will help as well . . .
>> Anonymous
You're seeking advice on exotic pet care from 4chan so you're obviously a retard. I'd suggest not even considering getting a mantis shrimp at all, but your stupid ass is probably going to get one anyways.
>> Anonymous
they are not hard to keep i have kept them in the past and they did quite well, i had a large peacock mantis shrimp that would take krill out of tongs, however he broke the front glass out of his tank, so they are not for beginners
>> Anonymous
the set up you'll need for a mantis shrimp can be very simple all you need is a thick coarse sand bed and a large portion of pvc pipe, and try not to poke it with any part of your body that you value
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
some get BIG
>> Anonymous
>>111124
They will RIP AND TEAR your flesh.

Get an acrylic tank, much harder for it to shatter with it's hammerfist.
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
DO NOT PURSUE LU BU!!!
>> Anonymous
Mantis Shrimp are like some freakish rpg monster come to real life.
>> Anonymous
they do great in reef tanks, they will have plenty of food and places to hide, however you may not like you fish being eaten
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
>>111130
>> Anonymous
>>111128
look at the claws on that thing! it can rip a tank apart!
>> Anonymous
>>111135
Dude Liu Bu took me out and I don't mean dancing.
>> Anonymous
All this talk about "ZOMG a mantis shrimp can break an aquarium" is seriously overblown. Everyone talks about it becasue of the "woah cool" factor, but as far as actuall occurances? VERY FEW.

Yes, it has happened. However, it is a rare occurance. It requires a big shrimp, a flimsy aquarium (glass, not acrylic) and a hefty dose of bad luck.

If you're worried about your mantis beaking your aquarium you should also be worried about going outside, because holycrap you might get hit by lightning!
>> Anonymous
>>111174
Has never fucking seen a mantis shrimp in action.

OP, if you want a mantis shrimp, what you're gonna want to do is this:

Get an aquarium made of the plexiglass shit they use to contain the fucking lions and bears at the zoo with. Triple the thickness of what they use.

Reinforce all filters with steel.

Barricade the top of the aquarium with a Quantum Physics book.

Tape down the corners on every thing.

Wear a mask and full chain and plate mail when opening the aquarium for ANY reason.

When cleaning the aquarium, pray to every single God ever created and then make some up for good measure. Make sure you have a will and "goodbye" letter written out. Prepare yourself for the bloodiest battle of your lifetime.
>> Arkh
>>111209
now THATS a pet worth keeping. Dude if mantis shrimp really were that dangerous id keep like 80 of em and live underwater and pray that some country pisses me off so i can assault thier shores with ninjashrimp. Id ride the biggest one and wield a trident and grow my beard and hair long and white. Id wear a suit of armour made from the teeth of sharks that my shrimp killed and ate and my gargantuan penis will flop over the head of my mount like a fearsome warmask. (cuz how else could you command them unless ur penor rivaled whale parts?)
>> Anonymous
>>111978
war cry, fearsome sir? something akin to "I'm a shark" perchance?
>> Kotone !bQXLaktCGc
>>111209
>>111978
FUCK YEAH MANTIS SHRIMP
>> Anonymous
They CAN break tanks, but I would bet most don't. They are pretty touch buggers, "Cock roaches of the sea," and are thus pretty hard to kill. Grimreefers has a forum on them. i'd go there. Also use google, there is atleast one page dedicated to them with a lot of info.
>> Penis Moai
Is dat sum next-gen Darius game?

No? bawwww
>> Anonymous
www.reefcentral.com has a mantis shrimp forum.

I keep a small (2") Neogonodactylus oerstedii mantis in a 5g tank. It also happens to be my first/only saltwater aquarium. If you're serious about keeping one, do your homework and save yourself lots of time/money/pain.

Agreeing with Anonymous, mantis shrimp break tanks only very rarely. When they do, it's usually because they're trying to burrow through the bottom of the tank glass, not because they're trying to raep your face through the glass.

Speaking of glass, if you want to keep a large species (like the "Peacock Mantis" Odontodactylus scyllarus or Gonodactylus chiragra) then do yourself a favour and buy an acrylic tank. You'll need one about 30-40g for an adult Peacock. The smaller species WILL NOT be able to break the glass of a normal aquarium.

They really are awesome pets if you can handle the maintenance that a saltwater aquarium requires. You will be rewarded with many epic pokemon-esque battles between your mantis and any hapless crabs you throw in there.
>> Anonymous
>>111053
maor want shrimp!!!!