Uh oh. Mantis or Disease?

[jgisler2006]

Hello all,
I have had a 30 gallon fowlr set up for about a year now. From the beginning I can recall "clicks" from my aquarium. Yes I have established this must be a Mantis shrimp. Although I have never seen this bugger, I can hear him occasionally during the night. He seems to become more active while I sleep :hmm2:
So far he has been of little concern and has hardly crossed my mind. UNTIL this morning when I awoke to find my Sixline Wrasse and Striped Dottyback both with little red wounds on their sides. Unfortunately I dont have a camera capable of catching this. The reason I suspect this is the doing of a Mantis is because at night both my Sixline and Dottyback take refuge in the lower water column, either wedged in between rock work or in an empty clam shell. My falco hawk and Clown (the only other residents) tend to move around through the night.

any suggestions or insight would really help

thanks,
Jacob

 

[VacavilleFC3S]

it most likely was not a mantis shrimp

mantis shrimp for the most part are not nocturnal and sleep at night, usually closing up the entrance to there burrow.

 

[sTefaniA]

The clicking is most likely a pistol shrimp. Mantis usually aren't nocturnal. They sleep during the night. Also it is unlikely that a mantis will attack fish, but rather eat your cleanup crew.

 

[Hydrologist]

+1 definitely a pistol shrimp and they are very annoying. My bets is some sort of hitchhiker crab. (or disease)

Pics would help for sure

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

It could be a hitch hiker crab for sure. I had a xanthid that killed two fish. Prop a smooth sided glass baited with some raw seafood up against the rockwork. Crab climbs in after the food and can't get out. Just be sure to use a fairly tall glass.

 

[ginger7286]

+ pistol shrimp. I have at least one and I definately hear her more at night. I have only seen her once when my tank was being moved and she's BIG. They usually aren;t interested in anything but the detritus. I would look for the demon crab running lose. I had several Gorilla crabs that I flushed out over several months so be on the look out for those nasty creatures 'cause they'll decimate your tank. Good luck.

 

[jgisler2006]

Thanks for all the insight. If it is a pistol shrimp, Ive never seen it.

and both of these fish just have one red dot, of a wound on their lower sides.

unfortunatley I dont have a camera capable of getting this :/

I feel if I used the "glass" technique to catch this mystery creature my fish would just take the bait. I have very greedy feeders. :/

 

[ssavader]

++ Pistol Shrimp. I have one in my 120g that I cant locate but hear routinely. The tails of some of my fish clearly bare the wounds of his assaults. I think I'll give the glass trick a try.

 

[kulture]

Do all pistol shrimp make that noise?
Is it always heard? And annoying?

I've heard some pistol shrimp (Alpheus bisincisus) will form cool relationships with certain gobys.. Is that worth the noise?

 

[jgisler2006]

++ Pistol Shrimp. I have one in my 120g that I cant locate but hear routinely. The tails of some of my fish clearly bare the wounds of his assaults. I think I'll give the glass trick a try.

This must explain the occasional "fin wound" or what I found on my fish.

Any other suggestions on how to catch this guy?

I just want to SEE IT! haha :sad1: