mantis or not?

[EnchantedSea]

I think I might have a mantis...I hear something like a tapping on the glass every so often, more so at night. I'm almost convinced I have one, but have NEVER seen it. I'm afraid I'll come home from work one day and find my whole reef on the living room floor. Help!! What to do?

[goldrim]

Its my understanding that the creature that causes the loud clicking sound is a pistol shrimp rather than a mantis shrimp. The pistol shrimp has unusually large pinchers that make a loud click sound that can be heard outside of the tank.

HTH

[Agilecrux]

I would start looking to get a visual on the critter. this will take some patience. when I hear the the fabled sound I would get a flash light out and hope to catch a sneak preview. the pistol shrimp would make more of a snap sound compared to a mantis shrimp hitting a rock sound. I would also start to look to see if you are starting to lose snails, hermits, etc.

I would not worry about having to come home with your reef on the floor. mantis shrimp are able to brake glass but this situation doesn't occur very often.

this is from an individual that keeps mantis shrimps. I have never come home to the tenants below me complaining that their getting wet below. I'm more worried about my 110g going thru the floor than I am of a mantis braking a tank.

if you do find a mantis in your tank and don't want it I will gladly take it.

[Phillstone]

Hi EnchantedSea,

It could be a mantis shrimp, could be a pistle shrimp , or maybe even a rock crab. All three are known to click away. Do as Argilecrux says and go seaking at night w/a flashlight (a red lens gives you a bit of an edge here) look in every hole and cave. The key to removal (if this is what you want) is to first find where it lives.

Happy Hunting, Phill

[dc]

Yes, my Mantis turned out to be a Pistol. I could hear that clicking. Pistols also have one large claw and one small like a Cleaner Shrimp.

[billsreef]

Just to add to the possibilities, I've found hermit crabs wandering around and knocking thier shells on the tank walls

[Phillstone]

Ok Bill , how about snails on the glass being hit with the flow of a powerhead? hehe

Phill

[EnchantedSea]

Thanks for all your replies. I was wondering, if I had a mantis or a pistol, wouldn't I see evidence of molting? Some people say it sounds like clicking, but to me it sounds like a tapping on the glass. Yes, like the sound of a shell hitting the glass. Maybe I'm just paranoid. I'm not missing any fish or inverts. But they are also fed well. I'm constantly looking for this thing. My daughter and boyfriend think I'm nuts!

[Rube]

I've had a similar "problem" for the past year. Worried about it until I realized if it hasn't killed yet, it can't be a mantis. Sure is a noisy bugger, though.

[Agilecrux]

when it comes to molting i dont know anything about the pistol shrimp, but i do know about mantis shrimps. either case you should find a molt.

with mantis shrimps, moltings can come every 3-4 weeks and this doesnt depend on if the mantis has been eating heavily or eating at all. IME i find that mantis take some time to do their first molt when first introduced into a new environment. this time period is about 6-8 weeks.