Mantis or pistol???

[weekf]

Hi all,

Hope you guys can help me out here. I have my 20gal set up for 2 months now and starting just few days ago I heard clicking going on late at night from my tank.

When I first set up my tank. I caught a mantis shrimp about 3/4 inch long and thought that was it I now have a clean rock. Could the mantis have laid some eggs or babies before I got rid of it and they have now grown up?

I don't mind if it is a mantis as long as it leaves my coral alone. Do mantis shrimp damage coral of any kind?

Also I started my tank with 10 hermit crabs but now only left 7. Three has gone MIA somewhere can't even find the shell could this be the work of the mantis?

Thanks for the help in advance guys.

 

[Vehl]

I had a mantis and some pistol shrimp in my 125. I heard the popping noise as well. Once I caught the mantis and moved it to its own tank I still here the popping in the main tank, but none from the mantis tank. So in short the popping my very well be a pistol.
As to you missing crabs, it could very well be a mantis. I lost MANY helpers to my mantis before I caught it. The crabs could be hiding in the rocks however, so don't be scared till you are sure it is a mantis.

 

[flamingonhot]

It should leave the corals alone. As long as it's not moving mantis's don't really notice. THey can still tell they're alive, but they aren't moving and it should know it's not a possible food item.

 

[Wood_Dog]

I had a mantis that ate a lot of crabs, small snails etc. It never touched the corals.
I was lucky enough to catch it one day....but the next day- more popping. Havent seen the culprit yet but havent lost anything either....so I'm hoping it's a pistol.