# acceptable "tank"?



## ErnieB (May 21, 2010)

I have a couple of these small 2g ( i think ) acrylic tanks. They are slightly odd shaped with a height of about 9 inches, sides about 5.5 inches deep, back about 9 inches wide and a slightly bowed front of about 11 inches wide. I was thinking of creating a mesh/screen top for it, plus they also come with a matching hood that has a small 7w bulb i thought i could maybe use for some extra light/heat. ( would set this hood ontop of the screen top i would make )

Would this be too big/small for a single budwing or single chinese mantis? What about a small group of ghost mantis? ( how many you think could live in one of these? (if any at all ) Ideally i would like to use a single habitat for the entire life span of the mantid i end up with.

If its an ok size for something, i was thinking of cutting out a nice sized hole on one side and screening it up and maybe adding another "feeder" hole on the other side and plugging it with foam. Does that sound like an ok thing?

Heres a couple pics of it.


----------



## hibiscusmile (May 21, 2010)

Good for a couple ghosts, and u do not need extra heat with that one, it is fine like it is, I have one like that, I put screen over the inside lid to keep them off the light part and they love it. Will need moisture in it for most mantis and I cut an X in the screen which hangs over the side a couple inches and stick my fly bottle in the hole and let flies in that way.


----------



## ErnieB (May 21, 2010)

hibiscusmile said:


> Good for a couple ghosts, and u do not need extra heat with that one, it is fine like it is, I have one like that, I put screen over the inside lid to keep them off the light part and they love it. Will need moisture in it for most mantis and I cut an X in the screen which hangs over the side a couple inches and stick my fly bottle in the hole and let flies in that way.


Im not quite understanding.... Is your screen loose and just layed on the top and held in place with the hood. So then you just remove the hood and slide the screen over so the feeder hole is over the tank?? Otherwise i dont understand how it works if the screen is attached/hotglued to the tank or lid.


----------



## Mr.Mantid (May 22, 2010)

that looks cool for a mantid enclosure


----------



## Rick (May 22, 2010)

It will work. YOu have the right idea. My only advice would be that you will waste a lot of food if you put a tiny mantis in there. A small nymph will have much less chance of food coming across its path in a large enclosure forcing you to put in more food. It will work though.


----------



## Chief Tom (Jun 2, 2010)

That's a fine aquarium dude (or I guess it's terrarium). I like the bubbled front. Might go get one of those myself. Plenty big enough for an adult Chinese Mantid.


----------



## ErnieB (Jun 3, 2010)

Chief Tom said:


> That's a fine aquarium dude (or I guess it's terrarium). I like the bubbled front. Might go get one of those myself. Plenty big enough for an adult Chinese Mantid.


Shipping would probably be horrendus but i do have 2 extras ( brand new in box )


----------



## hibiscusmile (Jun 3, 2010)

I glued the screen on the back side only, and cut an X in the screen that lays over the front about 2". Then when I feed, I pick up the aquam lid and stick the bottle in the X and with fingers of other hand, I hold screen around neck of bottle and push it up to the lip of aquam so they fly in, and just remove it when done and drop screen back in place and close lid. ps close bottle too



Very simple and quick this way, only takes about a minute or less.


----------

