Help with ID - wrecking my zoas!

[Brian Crook]

So I just discovered this little creepy guy in my tank today... Bit of a sinking feeling watching him literally chew through some of my zoanthids. However I suspect he's been responsible for my lack of zoa success for quite some time now, and possibly for the death of a few fish... however this remains to be seen once I figure out what he is and get him the hell out.

Any help ID-ing? Kind of looks like some kind of mantis to me, but I don't have much experience with this kind of thing. Sorry the photos were the best I could take considering this rock was all the way at the back of the tank. He made a loud clicking noise akin to a pistol shrimp as he imploded my zoanthids and ate their insides.

Thanks in advance...

 

[R1ant04]

that def looks like a mantis....not sure bout a zoa eating mantis tho.

 

[nmotz]

Can't be sure of the ID from this angle, but that's strange to hear it's "eating" your zoas. I've had mantis shrimp move them around a bit at times, but never eat them. Are you certain he's consuming them or is he just clearing them out of the way to make space for a burrow. That species looks is most likely a cavity dwelling type which means that he'll want to bore a hole in the rock for himself.