Rock Mantis Shrimp care guide
Rock Mantis Shrimp (Gonodactylus chiragra) — minimum tank 80 L, temperature 24-26 °C, pH 8.1-8.4.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Rock Mantis Shrimp (Gonodactylus chiragra) is a mantis shrimp (stomatopod) of the family Gonodactylidae, listed in the Aquairi knowledge base as an advanced-level species. Smaller smasher-type mantis often arriving as live-rock hitchhiker. Olive to brown coloration with bright spots. Same warnings as larger smashers — species-only.
Taxonomy
- Family: Gonodactylidae
- Genus: Gonodactylus
- Scientific name: Gonodactylus chiragra
- Common synonyms: Rock Mantis, Chiragra Mantis
Habitat
Mantis shrimp are stomatopod crustaceans, not true shrimp, found in burrows and reef crevices of tropical and subtropical seas. They possess specialised raptorial appendages: "spearers" impale soft prey, while "smashers" deliver one of the fastest strikes in the animal kingdom, capable of cracking shells and aquarium glass. In the Aquairi knowledge base this species is recorded from Indo-Pacific.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 80 L (21.1 US gal)
- Adult size: 5-10 cm
- Temperature: 24-26 °C (75-79 °F)
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- GH: 8-12 °dGH
- KH: 8-12 °dKH
- Salinity (specific gravity): 1.024-1.026
- Lifespan: 3-5 years
Diet
The species is a carnivore. Spearing forms ambush soft prey such as fish and worms, while smashing forms crush snails, crabs and bivalves; in aquaria they take meaty frozen foods, shrimp and shelled molluscs.
Compatibility
The Aquairi knowledge base lists this species as a predator. Suitable tank mates include Solo only. It should be kept away from All fish, All inverts. It is a destructive predator that hunts fish and other invertebrates and is kept only in a dedicated species tank, never in a community reef.
Breeding
The female carries fertilised eggs (becoming "berried") beneath the abdomen until they hatch into planktonic larvae that drift before settling. Rearing the larvae through their pelagic stages is rated very difficult and is rarely achieved in home aquaria.
Rock Mantis Shrimp (Gonodactylus chiragra): Breeding Notes
Overview
Gonodactylus chiragra is a smasher-type stomatopod of the western Indo-Pacific shallows. It grows to a maximum of about 105 mm and occupies natural or mollusk-made rocky cavities rather than digging its own burrow. It hunts by day for snails, hermit crabs and clams and often seals its shelter entrance with sand and rock at night.
Sexing
Coloration differs between sexes: males range from brown to dark green, while females range from grey-green to white. The cavity is used for mating and for keeping eggs safe.
Spawning & Eggs/Larvae
Eggs are kept within the rocky shelter. In stomatopods generally, eggs are held in the cavity or carried by the female until they hatch, after which the larvae may spend up to three months in the plankton before settling. Stomatopods breed repeatedly over their lifespan.
Common Challenges
The planktonic larval stage and the aggressive, predatory nature of even this small species make captive reproduction impractical and undesirable for reef keepers.