Mantis shrimp BIG surprise!

[Koshmar]

Well if you do search at night, supposively red bulbs allow you to see without alerting most creatures. I don't know how true that is. I generally left my moonlight on and watched the tank come to life at night. Mostly amphipods and bristle worms. Popping/clicking sounds can come from anything. That crab thing might have been what ate your fish. Good luck with the search.

 

[S13<3]

thats is a big mean hermit crab/molt, if u hold a hermit in your hand upside down he will climb out of the shell completely to right himself, u will then see the sets of legs/claws that grip the shell

 

[rambochu]

That's not what's eating your fish, unless what's going missing are slow, bottom-dwelling fish. It might be why you have crustaceans losing limbs. I'm surprised you haven't seen it during feeding times.

My best guess - it might be a left-handed hermit. I'm not sure, since the colors don't match up, but the size and the shape are a close match.

I have several and I've never seen them harass anything that wasn't wounded or sick (or each other, if one of them has a pellet or something). I'm surprised you haven't seen it yet during feeding time - these guys are very quick to sense food.

 

[FlammySnake]

Definately a hermit molt, and at that a hermit i happen to own a number of! Certainly not capable of incapacitating any fish, but i always keep my eye on them. Those are hermits i don't fully trust. Have seen them available much more often lately.

 

[AquamanSE]

Whats it taste like?

hehe.........hermit +1 Eating/attacking your fish -1

 

[Dr. Fish]

Those are some crazy colors, but not a mantis.