10/07/2026
SUMMIT CITY CORAL CARE SHEET:
PEACOCK MANTIS SHRIMP
We sell animals responsibly.
This one just happens to have clubs.
Tank Size:
20–30 gallons minimum.
Species-only is strongly recommended.
You can technically try tankmates.
You can also technically leave your car running at a gas pump and go inside for lunch.
We are not recommending either.
Temperature:
76–80°F
Salinity:
1.023–1.026
Diet:
Shrimp, clam, squid, krill, crab, snails, and other meaty marine foods.
Occasionally provide hard-shelled prey so it can naturally use its smashing appendages.
This helps prevent boredom.
We do not know what a bored mantis shrimp plans.
We would prefer not to find out.
Luckily ours has a particular fondness for clams on the half shell, so it’s easy to keep him satisfied.
Housing:
Provide several inches of sand, secure rockwork, and a sturdy burrow.
PVC pipe works great.
It will renovate.
You may have spent two hours aquascaping.
That was adorable.
The mantis has different plans.
Tankmates:
No.
This section used to be longer.
Fish are questionable.
Snails are potential snacks.
Crabs are potential snacks with legs.
Shrimp are apparently a personal insult.
The Pitho crabs have unionized.
Matt has refused to recognize the union.
Molting:
During a molt, your mantis may seal itself inside its burrow and disappear for several days.
Leave it alone.
Do not dig it out.
Do not remove the rock.
Do not poke the burrow with feeding tongs.
Do not shine a flashlight directly into the entrance every 15 minutes.
You are not conducting a wellness check.
You are harassing a shrimp.
Dylan has been informed of this several times.
Handling:
Do not.
That is the entire section.
Glass:
Peacock mantis shrimp are famous for extremely powerful strikes.
A properly sized aquarium is generally fine.
Still, do not spend your afternoon deliberately encouraging it to punch the glass.
There is no achievement unlocked for this.
Lid:
Use one.
They are curious, active, and substantially smarter than something shaped like that has any business being.
If it escapes, please do not call the store and begin the conversation with:
“So hypothetically…”
We already know where this is going.
Fun Fact:
Peacock mantis shrimp have exceptionally complex vision and can detect polarized light.
It can see things you cannot.
It knows things you do not.
Matt claims he can too.
Nobody asked him.
Personality:
Highly intelligent.
Very curious.
Often interactive with their owners.
They may learn your routine and recognize when you approach the tank.
So after several months, you may develop a meaningful bond with an animal that would immediately kill a snail in front of you.
This is called reefkeeping.
Difficulty: Intermediate
Temperament: Felony Skittles
Tankmates: Absolutely freelance
Aquascaping: Temporary
Employee Most Likely to Put Their Hand Near It: Coleson
Employee Least Surprised When Something Goes Wrong: Matt
Employee Who Will Become Emotionally Attached Within 48 Hours: Dylan
Available at Summit City Coral.
Please purchase responsibly.
And if Coleson tells you he can hand-feed it because “it likes him,” notify management immediately.
