Glass Aquariums?

[Jackson]

Ok, i know most of you guys use posts to keep your mantids but i like the idea of being able to see them better.

I'm thinking about getting a glass tank and putting a sheet of glass down the middle to divide them and have it on glass runners so it can be lifted out when it is time to mate.

Cost doesnt matter as i work in a fish store so i can get tanks cheap.

Anyone have experience with this?

Size the enclosures sould be for larger mantids? i.e. Grandis

 

[Jackson]

Or i may put religiosa in there too. maybe split the tank into three, have male in one, female in the other and an ooth in the end.

Or i can have 2 larger enclosures.

Any comments at all on this are welcomed

 

[Rick]

I use aquariums. Best for viewing. I really don't care about cost and will buy as many aquariums as I need. Of course if I have large numbers of nymphs I plan on getting rid of I wil put them into small cups instead. I get clear plexiglass from Lowes and cut it to fit in order to divide my tanks up.

 

[Jackson]

What sizes do you divide them into? Just so i know how many species i can have separated in a tank.

 

[Rick]

As long as they have the correct amount of space. It all depends on what kind of mantids you have. I use those 2 1/2 gal tanks that divide into three small sections for tiny nymphs. Keep them in there until they outgrow it and then I give each one half of one of those tanks. For large, fully grown species they get half of a ten gallon. That is plenty of room.

 

[Jackson]

Sorry about all the questions, just want my mantids to be happy

Say i divide a tank into two. Which size would you recomend for Grandis and which size would you reccomend for Religiosa?

Here is a list of the tank sizes that have ALREADY divided into 2. (Actual undivided tank size will be twice as much). All sizes are in inches.

6x8x8

8x8x8

9x10x10

9x12x12

12x12x12

They do go larger but i think its unnecessary.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Rick]

It all depends on the size of the mantis. If the mantis has room to move around then it should be the right size. The most important thing you have to give the mantis is room to molt. They must have plenty of space in order to molt. This would be vertical space (up and down). If the mantids are adults then as long as they have plenty of room to move around then they should be fine.

 

[FieroRumor]

I keep my lil' buddies in glass aquariums, but on occasion, I'll move them into a little food container that has holes in it, for when I want to make sure it eats the food I feed it...

Nothin' more frustratin' then when ya drop in a bunch of nice, yummy fruitflies into the aquarium,and yer lil buddy is up near the top, facing the other way, with a big dopey expression on his little face.

Ok, maybe I'm reducing their hunting ability, but I don't want 'em to die of starvation.

And besides, it's kinda funny seeing them chase their food around and around and around...

 

[Ian]

Geos are quite good,a s you can stack them, they take up less room. Also, if yo are keeping 1 mantid, not a colony, it seems a bit pointless keeping them in a larger aqaurium than a large feo, as they do not really need that much room.

Cheers,

Ian