DOH!!! Found a den....

[paddyob]

Well I found a little den/burrow in my tank today. Yes, there are a few snail shells around the "area".

Although I have never seen a thing.... I am wondering if there is something there, or if perhaps either my Rainford or Blenny have made a new home.

It is under a rock and the sand has been "pushed" out. You can see the mound in front of the hole.

I also wonder if its a pistol shrimp as I have heard "clicking" for the last 4 years but never seen a thing!

I need to get a flash light with red filter so I can search at night.

Hopefully its not a bugger mantis. Anyone know if they can stay really small?

I have never lost a fish and have some smaller ones in the tank.

I also have a shrimp trap that I may try in front with some krill if I have no luck seeing anything. The entrance is very accessible for a trap in front.

[apexifd]

there are many different specie of mantis shrimp. some will stay relatively small.

it's probably a smasher, which they mainly feed on inverts. http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthrop...html#directory

[Myka]

Eunicid worms may have a bit of a burrow like that, but they mostly use slime (or something like that) to line some sand to make tunnels in the sand, and they use holes in the rock. Look after lights out with a red flashlight. If you feed the tank a bit just before you look that should help entice whatever it is out.

[Flash]

easy way to find out.... get some food and some tongs and camp out infront of the hole. if it's a fish it should come out, all my pistol shrimps have come out as well.. and the mantis's at the store come running! lol so ya.. in short, try feeding the area!

[zum14]

Red light works for checking stuff out. I found my pistol that way. It made burrows like your describing and i found shells around it too.

[paddyob]

Originally Posted by apexifd

there are many different specie of mantis shrimp. some will stay relatively small.

it's probably a smasher, which they mainly feed on inverts. http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthrop...html#directory

If I have a smasher... would it not be "smashing" the shells to get at the goods inside? Not a single shell is busted open.

[paddyob]

Originally Posted by bean

easy way to find out.... get some food and some tongs and camp out infront of the hole. if it's a fish it should come out, all my pistol shrimps have come out as well.. and the mantis's at the store come running! lol so ya.. in short, try feeding the area!

Yea I saw the green mantis today... he came running as soon as I got close to the glass. Aggressive bugger!

I need to add... I have never found a molt of either a shrimp or crab. I assume over time you should find the molt of something if it is there?

[dunl]

Originally Posted by paddyob

Yea I saw the green mantis today... he came running as soon as I got close to the glass. Aggressive bugger!

I need to add... I have never found a molt of either a shrimp or crab. I assume over time you should find the molt of something if it is there?

Not necessarily....it will dissolve or be eaten.

Green....dark almost army green? Chiragra, most likely. Not very interactive. Let me know if you want to get rid of him. (as in I'd take him because I'm addicted, not because he's really that cool. lol) Typically, they only come out when fed, but he WILL take out something if he's hungry.

As for smashed shells, sometimes they just smash what's in it, and pull it out of the untouched shell.

[paddyob]

Originally Posted by dunl

Not necessarily....it will dissolve or be eaten.

Green....dark almost army green? Chiragra, most likely. Not very interactive. Let me know if you want to get rid of him. (as in I'd take him because I'm addicted, not because he's really that cool. lol) Typically, they only come out when fed, but he WILL take out something if he's hungry.

As for smashed shells, sometimes they just smash what's in it, and pull it out of the untouched shell.

Sorry.. the Mantis I saw was at Blue World... not in my tank thank GOD!! It was labeled as "Green Mantis"

ha ha!

[dunl]

Originally Posted by paddyob

Sorry.. the Mantis I saw was at Blue World... not in my tank thank GOD!! It was labeled as "Green Mantis"

ha ha!

Oh, got ya.....yes, that guy is a chiragra.