Mantis Or No Mantis?

[N1z]

Help, not too long ago i used to get clicking noises in my tank at night..... now i thght it was heater or somthing else but then i herd about mantis... so i shat myself thinking i have one cos ive lost 1 out of my 2 hermits and i did hear the clicking last night only once. now atm im taking out every rock and shining a light into the holes but the question is cld it be a mantis i found a couple of small shrimp/pods i think they are like brown ish they iit making the noise or cld there be actually 1.... ive taken out all extra snail shells incase they were in one, but i also found on my LR that there was like mucus on it it... cld they be hding behind that ??? plz plz need ur help many thanks!

 

[J-Money]

i think a pistol shrimp also makes clicks so i wouldn't worry too much. if it is a mantis though, be careful looking for them, they are also called "thumbsplitters" and will hit you if need be

 

[N1z]

well i checked all my rocks and all i found was like these browny small shrimps.... but ddint have claws wot they?? but no mantis i think so thats good so far... all i know is to just wait and see if i loose a fish or my shrimp ill knows striaght away lol. so does a pistol shrimp like go click click every 5 mins or so basically cos thats the sounds i uded to get or still have?

 

[reddannyh]

Have you found any empty shells with holes in? This is usually a sign that you've got either a mantis or pistol shrimp in the tank. The best way to look for a mantis is by getting a torch with a red filter and looking in the tank a few hours after lights out. Even if you don't see a mantis you'll be amazed by what you do see

 

[N1z]

LOOK WOT I FOUND!!! i took a pic as its al blurry but i found like 4 of these intotal last night, the only way i cn describe it in its curled up shape. its greyish and has large V pincer/s and the only other thing i cn say the part of body near wot i think is head looks like is a round bit and then its antennas and a few like strings for legs...

heres a pic see if u cn sus them out..

i thght it might of been a pistol cos i used to or dunno if still do but a like click...click then wait about5 mins and it happen again at night.

 

[Fish Fingers]

Might needs some clearer pics than that if you want us to give you a final answer . From the shape of it though it looks more like a pistol shrimp than a mantis. The large claws would also support this. I found a red pistol shrimp in my tank a few weeks ago. He is cool. Now I feed him krill every so often to keep him happy.

 

[SkiFletch]

Yeah, try using Macro mode on your digicam for closeups

 

[N1z]

ahh got ya!
here u go then ppl!

 

[SkiFletch]

Ah, much better. I still have no idea what it is, but at least the pic is clearer Hopefully someone else can help you

 

[N1z]

i found one alive! in my box where i kepy the LR when checking it over.
its tiny balck and wot i thght were pincers are legs! and it shoots very fast!
now ive only had a look at its arms but they are right under its head, so im thinking mantis!!!!! ****!
got any ideas how to trap them?
What i dont get is ive found 5 of these now! maybe even 6! how can this be!!!!

 

[Aquascaper]

It's an Amphipod - more details here

 

[Fish Fingers]

It's an Amphipod - more details here

:stupid: Yeah I agree with Aqua. Much easier to tell with the clearer pictures

 

[N1z]

really, u sure? cos this wot his arms look like....
this....

 

[Fish Fingers]

Some amphipods have largish claws. How big are all the creatures?

 

[N1z]

hes about 6mm big roughly then i found another one like only 2mm big.....

im happy if u think it not a mantis, but u just dont wanna chance it as i like my fish/inverts