Is this behavior of a mantis?

[FireMarshalBill]

I have an unidentified critter in my tank.
It was living in a hole in the LR.
I suspected it may be a young Mantis because I kept seeing baby snail shells outside the hole.
Anyhow, I was going to try to flush it out with fresh water by shooting it into the hole. When I went to the tank to try, whatever it is, had blocked the hole opening with a piece of a shell and that was about 4 days ago, it hasn't been removed since then.
Would a mantis shrimp do that? If so, does that mean it has moved to a different hole and I have to find it all over again?
When would I be able to hear it? I haven't heard any clicking coming from my tank.

 

[FireMarshalBill]

Ok, found out it most likely is a mantis.
Since I no longer know where in the tank it is, any tips on how to get rid of it.
Tank is glass, have heard it can break the glass, what is likeliness of that happening??

 

[Gonodactylus]

The blocking behavior is typical of a gonodactylid stomatopod. Most close up every night and reopen in the morning. Also, when they molt, they will often close up for a few days. It depends on how large the animal is as to how long it remains closed during a molt, but for a 2 inch animal 4-7 days is about right. My guess is that it is still in the cavity blocked by the shell.

Roy

 

[Python73]

Unless that is a huge mantis, and you have a REALLY small tank with thin glass, you don't have to worry. My smashers never attack the glass. As GonoD said, that mantis is likely in the rock where you see him hiding his burrow. Take the rock out when he is closed up and squirt fresh water in the hole with a baster. Make sure the rock is held over a bucket so you catch the mantis.

HTH.

S !

 

[FireMarshalBill]

Dang.. bad news.
Pulled the rock it was seen in, pulled the shell out that was blocking the hole, used a turkey baster and squirted fresh water into the hole and it came out of holes all over the rock....
So chances are its not in that rock anymore...
#$%#@$%#$%!!!!
Guess I'm just plain up sh*t creek without a paddle.
I do have a Mantis trap coming this week though.