My custom mantid tanks

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mr nick

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Hi all

This is the type of custom viv i make for my adult mantids,its basically a 14"x8"x8" aquarium,stood on end with the top panel removed and a ventilated lid attatched in its place,a 1" substrate retainer near the base and sliding glass doors. Quite time consuming,but worth the effort.

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A partitioned design to house two adult mantids or nymphs...

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My newly built hatchling set up,containing two-week old Shodromantis spp. nymphs...again constructed from a small glass aquarium with guillotine-style door and removable ventilation panel at the top. The white material the nymphs are clinging on to is a non-toxic packing product cut into strips..it makes an ideal surface to cling to!

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Close up of nymph.

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The three main containers (containing mantids) that are in the living room (i also have a further 4 like this). Light is provided by a strip-light in the unit above. The 'pots' containing 2 Rhombodera nymphs are actually empty Yeo Valley probiotic yoghurt pots (i get through a lot of this)....

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Hope you like them!

Thanks

Nick

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mrblue said:
they look really nice.
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Wow!! Very creative and stylish!! I live in an apartment and I must admit the 32 oz cups really cramp my style. I have a few small bow front containers which I use to house the smaller P. Virescens nymphs as there were maybe 13 in each ooth so I split them in half. It works for them for now but as they get bigger I will of course have to look for alternate housing which will conserve space and look nice. I am in the process of totally furnishing my living room area to accommodate my hobby as I now have the time to do so. So, of course I am all ears and eyes a for creative ventures such as this which would be great for what i am going after!!!

Great work!!! ;)

 
Chameleonare said:
Can you show how to make them or a list of supplies and what they are called.
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I will do my best...next time i build one i will try take some step-by-step pics. Relatively easy but time consuming,however,the ventilation panel is the hardest part to source,but ive recently found an insect screen that cuts down nicely and lets plenty of light in..

 
Where do you get the glass plates to partition standard aquaria? Are they something common enough you can buy them pre-made or do you have to make them yourself?

 
iain5 said:
Where do you get the glass plates to partition standard aquaria? Are they something common enough you can buy them pre-made or do you have to make them yourself?
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I cut the partition myself,you could use perspex/plexiglass instead,but i much prefer a container with a door at the front,i made that particular one as an experiment really.....im just making some new ones,all with guillotine-style doors and a deeper substrate retainer,plus a new insect screen mesh for ventilation.

 
so do you actually remove one of the sides made of glass? and is that some kind of reinforcing youve put around the edges or does the tank come like that.

its a very nice set up. i use tanks vertical like this to house my locusts and rear silkmoth caterpillers. the only mod ive done is a piece of clear plastic cut to fit the side that was once the top (not as good as your sliding door). also i didnt realize you can take a glass side out to make a ventilated top as i thought the glue fixing it was to strong. i thought about drilling holes in the glass - but i dont think that is possible is it? :lol:

glass tanks look far better upright IMO

 
nympho said:
so do you actually remove one of the sides made of glass? and is that some kind of reinforcing youve put around the edges or does the tank come like that.its a very nice set up. i use tanks vertical like this to house my locusts and rear silkmoth caterpillers. the only mod ive done is a piece of clear plastic cut to fit the side that was once the top (not as good as your sliding door). also i didnt realize you can take a glass side out to make a ventilated top as i thought the glue fixing it was to strong. i thought about drilling holes in the glass - but i dont think that is possible is it? :lol:

glass tanks look far better upright IMO
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Yeah,you remove one of the end panels (you need a fine blade to do this) but i have them made now without that panel for ease,cost wasnt really an issue. The black plastic trim is purchase from B&Q,about £1.99 per 2mtr length and is siliconed in place...i have recently made a new set of tanks which i consider to be better,with a mesh lid that lets lots of light in and is relatively inexpensive (bought from Halfords)...i shall post pics as soon as i get 5mins...

 
Wow, really cool. If I compared my container to yours, mine would be a cardboard box in an alley and yours would be a pent house suite. Mine is just a plastic container which has a modified cover so that my mantis can breathe. Yours is real nice work.

 

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