[mothergoose]

Something ate my red legged hermit crab. I can't find the shell but I can see all of the legs left behind. Some of the legs are in the corner and a couple are on a rock. The only burrow I see is from the Diamond Goby. I can hear clicks coming from the tank every so often but can never see anything move. Thought for a while it was the heater clicking off and on or the thermometer hitting the side of the tank but I'm pretty sure from the recent death that neither one of these are the culprit. Most of the information I have read in the other posts leads me to believe that it might be a Pistol shrimp and not a Mantis. What do you think?

[rlcline76]

Could be.
I don't think that pistol shrimp are as violent as mantis, though. Could be more than one reason you are seeing hermit legs...most, hermit on hermit aggression.
It does stink, though, if you have a snapping shrimp you didn't intentionally put in there. Makes you wonder.

[mothergoose]

Going to video tape Friday night see if we find any thing. Then it is trap time.

[e_baer]

sounds like a pistol shrimp to me. A mantis would have smashed the shells of the hermits most likely.....depending if it was a smasher or spearer.

[mothergoose]

Elliot,
Thanks for the info. I'm with you I think a Mantis would have eaten my fish before he went after the crab but in either case I don't like it

[NATIVEVAMAN]

I dont think a mantis shrimp is going to lay around and decide what it wants for dinner.They are oportunistic critters that will snatch up whatever swim by when hunger strikes,if that was a hermit?who knows.I have in the past kept a tank full of hermit crabs and have observed them to be ounce for ounce the most violent critters in a reef tank.I have seen them kill for a larger shell and NOT eat what they killed.A lot of shrimp make the clicking noise but few make one that is audible outside the tank.I would stay up all night watching my tank with a red flashlight if I thought there was a mantis shrimp viewing my livestock as a menu.Be safe and set the trap before dark today.The fish you save may be your own lol.

[mothergoose]

Thanks Dale I will get on it.

[thelastmucci]

Originally Posted by NATIVEVAMAN

.The fish you save may be your own lol.

This made me chuckle...I know it's a serious issue but it reminds me of those PSA back in the day.

[mothergoose]

made me laugh too. building my trap right now.