A sea monster in my tank

[pcon]

So I seriously think I have a Sea Monster in my tank.

Some Zoo's I had on a frag plug melted away, leaving only the frag plug. The frag plug was on sandbed, I had planned to take it out the next day. Well the next day I woke up, and the frag plug WAS GONE!

So months go by after that incident. I mean cleaning my tank and getting rid of this busted frag rack I have in my tank. The frag rack only had one frag on it: my orange and purple ric. Since I got rid of the frag rack, I place the frag on the sand bed. Two days later the ric AND the frag plug are gone.

I can't really move my rocks without destroying my aquascape and coral that has grown on it, so I have no idea where they went. Has this ever happened to anyone before?

[LotsaFishies]

sounds like a Mantis shrimp....

[MustangBill]

Sounds like the dreaded eatalotofragapuss!

[bpro32]

Sounds the dreded eatalotofragapuss!

[pcon]

Nah I don't have one of those. I DO have a crab in my tank. He was a hitchhiker. He isn't bothering any of the inhabitants, but I think he is responsible for destroying my other rics that I had in there.

sounds like a Mantis shrimp....

[maus]

Nah I don't have one of those. I DO have a crab in my tank. He was a hitchhiker. He isn't bothering any of the inhabitants, but I think he is responsible for destroying my other rics that I had in there.

Even though you can't see it, i'd put $20 down that there's a small mantis in your tank using those little bits to build his rock dwelling.

[MustangBill]

Have you seen that crab munching on your frags? I had one of those for years in my tank with no issues, the claws are the nice alge eating type claws

[maus]

Have you seen that crab munching on your frags? I had one of those for years in my tank with no issues, the claws are the nice alge eating type claws

That's an emerald crab.. at most I've seen it idly pick at some GSP or Xenia but they're mostly a detrius / scavanger crab... no taste for coral. They're commonly kept in most peoples tanks as a form of algae control. Plus the tips of the claws are shaped like the letter "U", the better to scrape algae and coraline off the rocks with to munch on... not rip up coral.

[MustangBill]

Yeah I agree, has to be something other than that crab

[pcon]

I honestly haven't seen him munching on anything. He's pretty passive. He's the only thing I can think of destroying my rics and taking my frag plugs. I guess there can be something else in there moving stuff around and making stuff disappear. Weird.

I had him, with two gorilla crabs in my tank (at one time). I would see the gorilla crabs attack my livestock, but not this guy. This emerald crab is at least twice as big as my gorilla crabs were.

Have you seen that crab munching on your frags? I had one of those for years in my tank with no issues, the claws are the nice alge eating type claws

[MustangBill]

Sounds like you need to do a night time stake out with a red lens flash light

[JoeJ]

No snapping/popping noises coming from your tank at night? I've read that the smasher-type mantis can make popping sounds when it's smashing a shell.

I'm going to try your gorilla trap method, soon. I thought I had 2 tiny hitchhiking acro crabs, but one turned out to be a very skittish gorilla crab. It is probably ready to take in a small fish or two after growing so fast.

[maus]

No snapping/popping noises coming from your tank at night? I've read that the smasher-type mantis can make popping sounds when it's smashing a shell.

I'm going to try your gorilla trap method, soon. I thought I had 2 tiny hitchhiking acro crabs, but one turned out to be a very skittish gorilla crab. It is probably ready to take in a small fish or two after growing so fast.

In my countless years of reefing I have never, ever once had a problem with a gorilla crab. If you ever visited SWI when it was open, I had a HUGE one in there the whole time. The only problems it ever caused me was it would knock over SPS colonies at night when it crawled under them.

That stupid peacock mantis on the other hand...

[Hybrid]

Sounds like the dreaded eatalotofragapuss!

LMFAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[LarryM]

Do mantis actually make a popping sound?