Louie

BugMan, You must have a rather interesting diversity of reptiles and tree frogs in S. Africa . Do you keep any?

Subtle That is nice .

The man "created" (selectively bred) guppies are certainly a far cry from the wild types. I keep wild guppies outside which I caught years ago in a canal (not mosquito fish) and they pick through wood, etc for food . Active little hunters while I think the selective bred guppies only take top food?

Gabor, There is a nice exchange of ideas in crayfish forum as far as marine tanks . You might enjoy it and give ideas.

Shrimpo, Ahhh I see when they stated refugiums it was only caulerpa which was used . I am not familiar with chaeto. Elo, I find the refugium set up as nice and certainly natural looking as a "regular" tank set up . I think a tank in itself set up like a refugium would be great.

lol interesting link .

Jayar, Thanks , makes sense that they would be same as Tiger shrimp . Too bad not readily available in USA as seem hardy and interesting wild pattern.

Thanks so the one's they sell are inert or impossible to say since there are exceptions?

Isn't lava rock high in phosphates and cause algae? James, No problems with algae?

Shrimpo, The look of the refugium itself never mind the main tank is a nice look. It reminds me of the shallow grassy inlet where I used to see horse's as a kid . I would have liked to keep a main tank with the refugium look . I don't know anyone who kept them , have only seem them in pet stores but I was under the impression that the algae could crash and this was why people relied on other means of filtration(perhaps because caulerpa was what was used when they first came out) , also that you needed some type carbon/etc media or the water in main tank would get a slight green tinge. The "Berlin method" which is skimmer and live rock , filter or powerhead for circulation was the highest tech I ever had (worked very well) because under gravel filters or box filters with bio media were pretty much it when the hobby began . I started with UG filter in a 55 but had a 20 long with box filters for pair of harlequin shrimp . Later added skimmers to both tanks but archaic air driven skimmers by todays standards . High5, I had forgotten that they got to that size . The one's I dealt with were about 2 to 3 inches . I have never seen a full grown 6 inch mantis . You should set up a 10 gallon ,etc and get another one .

How did you run your refugium as far as light, substrate and no carbon or any other media used? Imagine it was paradise for baby starfish , snails, etc . I remember when they came out and Julian Sprung had the "magic mud" which was sand/mud taken by mangrove swamps and they added a few things to it . I never kept Mantis as pets as disdain them but the one's I had in my 55 killed every hermit and snail that came near their cave . They would dart out grab it and kill it . After they ran out of food they went after each other .

Thanks someone gave me some but I can't plant it as want to use it in bare bottom tank with driftwood . It is just floating now but going to lodge it between two pieces of driftwood and hope it thrives that way.

Shrimpo, A refugium isn't necc or top off system . Granted there are countless ways to do it and that is what works for you thus you suggest it but he can easily do a mantis with just a powerfilter and live rock . Mantis will kill snails and other crabs. Out of curiosity how does your top off system work , you have it hooked to RO?

Doc, Thanks. Chris , MIAMI, Fla. — Residents in Florida City, Fla., trapped a 12-foot-long Burmese python in a barbecue grill until fire rescue crews arrived on Thursday night. http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/south-florida-residents-trap-python-bbq-grill/ngZGC/

High, What happened to your mantis , passed away ? If you ever go to Exotic aquariums by Bird road , they have the most amazing Picasso clowns ,who a guy I know bred . The Australian Black Perculas are stunning . They look like they are velvet. Salt has one big plus which appeals to men ,which we don't realize and that is the fish have personality . Most little freshwater fish do not . Most little marine fish have Central/South American cichlid personality and if you get into gobies or blennies they are amazing . I had a pair of Harlequin shrimp and they were a tight pair which worked together

High5 said he has an eclipse. I forgot what they were but looked it up and they have been around for ages . Marineland eclipse . They also make 10 gallon size . They come with light and filter . Not reef light for coral but fine for fish, live rock and imagine even easy mushroom corals .

High5, I have blinding hate for them lol but I know people like yourself who say they are the best and smart inverts. I know some who have kept them with fish and said they did not bother the fish till they find their fish dead or bruised . When I first got my rock it was straight from the Miami reef , uncured with tons of life but it had mantis which I trapped (some killed each other)over a period of weeks . One thing I saw was that when smasher mantis meets slasher mantis. The smasher wins . Some were very pretty and some were drab but I agree as far as "smart" and if you don't catch them the first time in a trap they than avoid it . I caught them all over time in bottle trap with a trigger door except one which avoided the traps and finally I saw him go in a small piece of live rock which I than removed from the tank . How is your set up, what type filter?

High5, Have you ever caught them by the piers or shallow inlets? When we used to catch sea horses, etc we would see them in bottles , and they love piers (so do moray eels lol)

There are countless ways to set up a marine tank . Filters now no longer have metal parts in the filter so you can use even HOB filters . What size tank do you plan? As far as cycling goes . Live rock is your best bet . Live rock not only looks nice but it gives the inverts places to hide and if you later decide to replace the mantis with fish, fish also love it and feather dusters , etc attach themselves to it . I am not a fan of mantis because you cant keep much of anything else but High5 would disagree as far as some find them pets . Either way I always cycled my tanks (decades ago) with live rock and I liked 1/2 lb per gallon no more that ,1/4 lb per gallon might be all you want as far as some don't like too much rock in the tank and 1/4 lb per gallon is plenty as far as cycling . If you do not want live rock , you can cycle it with mollies or even a few dead freshwater fish will work . I have used all those methods and they all worked great but the live rock is the best . Some people buy the small pvc tubes with 1 inch opening and place the rock around that for mantis cave. High5 would know more as I only got rid of mantis never wanted them in the tank .

Thanks ,the tank I was thinking of putting them which is a planted 30 gallon with only male endlers has a lid but back has 2 inch opening for filter tubes . the opening might be a problem . I have always like kuhli's but assumed big escape artists .

Duff, Your tank is full to the top?

I keep guppies with shrimp "culls" (shrimps which are dull in color from my 55 gallon assorted shrimps) . I have never seen them bother adult shrimps in any way but the females do eat baby shrimp.

Soothing, Nice links. I thought it had all died out. Two marine places that I go to stopped carrying the tanks years ago, They said the jelly fish died too easily and it never caught on . Tanks are expensive for such small size .

Jayr, Would you know their care? I imagine that there are several shrimps from Asia which have not hit the US market.

Have either one of you ever seen the rat eating pitcher plants? I saw it online when I ordered my red venus plants and rather interesting . I'd post a pic but I don't know unless I take the pic from my own gallery . I found the pitcher plants to be highly efficient at eating small geckos so would never get them again. Imagine the rat eating pitcher plants might take bats .