20/11/2025
📘 Description
The Peacock Mantis Shrimp is a brightly colored stomatopod known for its vivid greens, blues, oranges, and striking peacock-like spots on its carapace.
• It is a “smasher” type mantis shrimp, equipped with club-like appendages that strike with the speed of a bullet.
• Adults typically reach 10–18 cm (4–7 inches) in length.
• Highly intelligent, curious, and known for their excellent trinocular vision and ability to see polarized and UV light.
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🌊 Habitat
• Found in Indo-Pacific reefs, especially around sandy rubble zones and coral crevices.
• Prefers shallow tropical waters, usually 3–40 meters deep.
• They create or occupy burrows in coral rock where they hide, ambush prey, and retreat for molting.
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🍤 Feeding
Peacock mantis shrimp are active predators.
• Diet includes:
• Crabs
• Snails
• Clams
• Small fish
• Other crustaceans
• They use their powerful smashing appendages to break open shells and exoskeletons.
• In captivity, they can be fed:
• Frozen shrimp
• Squid
• Mussels
• Live crabs/snails (occasional treats)
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🏠 Aquarium Requirements
Tank Size: Minimum 60–80 liters, but 120 liters (30 gal) or more is ideal.
Substrate & Decor:
• Provide deep sand, stable live rock, and PVC or rock burrows.
• Must have a secure cave/burrow—they get stressed without shelter.
Water Parameters:
• Temperature: 24–27°C
• Salinity: 1.023–1.025
• pH: 8.1–8.4
Behavior & Safety:
• Very aggressive—best kept alone.
• Can break thin glass; use thick glass or acrylic tanks.
• Reef-safe? No—will prey on tank mates and smash snails, crabs, and sometimes equipment.
Feeding Frequency:
• 2–4 times per week depending on age and size.
