Some clarification pls

n00b mariner · 07/31/2007, 11:00 AM

ok, I have a "friend" that has lived in the tank for 12 months now and has only been seen once. A shrimp type creature(I only saw its head peep out of a hole in a rock facing the other way). It collects rubble and shells and glues them around his rock and other signs of his presence includes punctured, empty micro hermit shells lying around the rock. These last two days are the first times ive heard a clicking sound from the tank. In the sequence click, click 1-2 minute pause,click,click, click. This went on for about 1 hour. I guess it could be a mantis or a pistol. Have I provided any evidence here that would rule out one or the other? I really dont want to Tear down my tank to ID this guy but am thinking of buying a goby if its possible i have a pistol. Any advice/comments most welcome.

TitusvileSurfer · 07/31/2007, 11:03 AM

Little herrmit crabs with holes punched in their shells, strewn around a burrow? Sounds like a smasher mantis to me!

n00b mariner · 07/31/2007, 02:19 PM

^^bump

dcombs44 · 07/31/2007, 02:41 PM

At first sound, I would guess a mantis as well. From my minimal shrimp knowledge, I don't think Pistols are known to go after other inverts such as crabs and snails.

Set a trap near the mantis home and you should be able to catch him. Cut the top of of a 20 oz. or smaller plastic water bottle and invert it back into the bottom half of the bottle. Drop a thawed piece of frozen shrimp in the bottom of the bottle. Set it next to the cave, and hope that he goes in. If he does, he won't be smart enough to find his way back out through the trap.

GuOD · 07/31/2007, 02:49 PM

My pistol shrimp build burrows out of hermit/snail shells... and I'm pretty sure they kill them to get them!!!

I've personally seen my pistol shrimp shooting at a large blue hermit before. That hermit got away though. There are about 7-8 shells outside my pistols burrow

dcombs44 · 07/31/2007, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by GuOD
My pistol shrimp build burrows out of hermit/snail shells... and I'm pretty sure they kill them to get them!!!

I've personally seen my pistol shrimp shooting at a large blue hermit before. That hermit got away though. There are about 7-8 shells outside my pistols burrow

I stand corrected

As I said, I don't have much shrimp knowledge other than the fact that I have a couple. lol.

Either way, you can set the trap and take a pic so you can get an ID.

07/31/2007, 11:00 AM	#1
n00b mariner Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Bolton, UK Posts: 211	Some clarification pls ok, I have a "friend" that has lived in the tank for 12 months now and has only been seen once. A shrimp type creature(I only saw its head peep out of a hole in a rock facing the other way). It collects rubble and shells and glues them around his rock and other signs of his presence includes punctured, empty micro hermit shells lying around the rock. These last two days are the first times ive heard a clicking sound from the tank. In the sequence click, click 1-2 minute pause,click,click, click. This went on for about 1 hour. I guess it could be a mantis or a pistol. Have I provided any evidence here that would rule out one or the other? I really dont want to Tear down my tank to ID this guy but am thinking of buying a goby if its possible i have a pistol. Any advice/comments most welcome. __________________ Youll Never Walk Alone Current Tank Info: 30G Long Mini Reef

07/31/2007, 11:03 AM	#2
TitusvileSurfer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Titusville, FL Posts: 3,227	Little herrmit crabs with holes punched in their shells, strewn around a burrow? Sounds like a smasher mantis to me! __________________ The ocean is the pinnacle of reef tanks. Someone up there is keeping up with his PH and Phosphates to.

07/31/2007, 02:19 PM	#3
n00b mariner Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Bolton, UK Posts: 211	^^bump __________________ Youll Never Walk Alone Current Tank Info: 30G Long Mini Reef

07/31/2007, 02:41 PM	#4
dcombs44 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 2,913	At first sound, I would guess a mantis as well. From my minimal shrimp knowledge, I don't think Pistols are known to go after other inverts such as crabs and snails. Set a trap near the mantis home and you should be able to catch him. Cut the top of of a 20 oz. or smaller plastic water bottle and invert it back into the bottom half of the bottle. Drop a thawed piece of frozen shrimp in the bottom of the bottle. Set it next to the cave, and hope that he goes in. If he does, he won't be smart enough to find his way back out through the trap. __________________ Current Setup: 10 Gallon Skimmerless Zoanthid Tank Lighting: Single 175 Watt Metal Halide (14,000 K Hamilton Lamp) Filtration: 10 gallon sump/refugium and Phosban Reactor Return: Mag Drive 700 Controller: ReefKeeper Lite (Basic Version) Circulation: TBD Age of System: Build is in Progress

07/31/2007, 02:49 PM	#5
GuOD Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Toronto Posts: 665	My pistol shrimp build burrows out of hermit/snail shells... and I'm pretty sure they kill them to get them!!! I've personally seen my pistol shrimp shooting at a large blue hermit before. That hermit got away though. There are about 7-8 shells outside my pistols burrow