An invisible predator

[Mschneider90265]

I seem to have items just disappearing and can't figure out how. I have a very tightly sealed top on a redsea max so no escape that way. It is a 75 gal with about 140lbs of tbs rock. Lots of nooks.

I seem to have a lot of snails disappearing from their shells. I had a diamond goby about 1 1/2 long and a cleaner goby about same size disappear. Other than coral, clowns and a flame angel only thing in aquarium is original rock and creatures from package.

I see my two peppermint shrimp and stars quite often. I see porcelain crabs. I do hear clicking alot but have not seen any mantis shrimp?

Any ideas? Do i need to empty the rock piece by piece?

 

[rajkovich207]

Ive heard of pistol shrimp killing fish other than that a mantis or euinicide worm

 

[liverock]

I seem to have items just disappearing and can't figure out how. I have a very tightly sealed top on a redsea max so no escape that way. It is a 75 gal with about 140lbs of tbs rock. Lots of nooks.

I seem to have a lot of snails disappearing from their shells. I had a diamond goby about 1 1/2 long and a cleaner goby about same size disappear. Other than coral, clowns and a flame angel only thing in aquarium is original rock and creatures from package.

I see my two peppermint shrimp and stars quite often. I see porcelain crabs. I do hear clicking alot but have not seen any mantis shrimp?

Any ideas? Do i need to empty the rock piece by piece?

The pistol shrimp you have a very tiny, and live within the sponges on the rock usually....and seldom seen. More likely a hermit crab, looking for a new shell.....If you have not seen a mantis shrimp, then most likely you do not have one....but keep a lookout!

Richard TBS
www.tbsaltwater.com

 

[Mschneider90265]

A blue legged hermit or one of the brown leg variety?

 

[liverock]

A blue legged hermit or one of the brown leg variety?

Any hermit...as when they grow they go looking for a new house!

Richard TBS

 

[Mschneider90265]

hermits would kill the fish too?

 

[Cloudburst2000]

Are you sure the gobies are dead? I have had fish disappear for days at a time only to reappear. And any crab that gets pretty large could potentially take out a smallish fish. I wouldn't discount the mantis though. I have one that I didn't see for almost two months. I moved its rock to quarantine while I set up a species specific tank. I still have only seen it a handful of times...mostly at feeding and then only for brief flashes. However, the mantis you would have would likely be a Wennerae which is a hammer type mantis. They mostly go for snails, small crabs, etc. They don't usually go after fish...maybe if it was sick or on the slow side.