Do I have a mantis?

[flame_angel11]

I'm not sure if I have one in my tank..I've heard series of clicking sounds, and parts of crabs lieing around (but these may be the exoskeletons after they have shed)...not sure if I can see a burrow or not, just kinda looks like the sand has been disturbed (I also have a dusky wrasse which buries itself at night, but it seems to go in the smae place every night on the other side of the tank).

Do you think I have one? What are other signs of mantis shrimp in the aquarium?

Thanks

 

[Thurge]

There is realy no way to tell if the clicking is a mantis or a pistol shrimp. The only way to really know is to see it. One pretty good indicator of a mantis is snail shells broken appart. Hermits will kill snails but they are doing it for the shell so it would be intact, but Mantis bash them appart and may leave piles of them. Crab shells as you pointed out could be from a shead but they would be complete segments. If the shell you are seeing looked like it was just a piece of a larger shell i would be more inclined to say mantis than molt.
Best bet is to "follow" the clicking to narrow down where in the tank its comming from then staking that area out and watching for your critter.

 

[tangyreefer05]

you can usually tell if its the actual crab leg/arm or a molt. Keep your eyes open.