What could have done this?

[kkgaskin90]

Pulled out old shells today and a few were like this-do I have a pest I need to seek out?

 

[zwulfke]

mantis shrimp

 

[kkgaskin90]

Definitely don't have one of those

 

[zwulfke]

sure about that ?? do you hear any clicking at night? they do hide took me months to find out I had one

 

[kkgaskin90]

I mean I guess I'm not *positive*... Never heard any clicking. 75g tank. Set up a year and a half

 

[WetWorks]

yeah that looks like the work of a mantis shrimp or a possibly even a octopus.

 

[kkgaskin90]

How in the world am I gonna catch/get rid of that?!?! And how would I have gotten it???

 

[zwulfke]

did you put any live rock in there ?

 

[redfishbluefish]

Hitchhiker. Not an octopus....they drill a small hole with their radula. I say this with ignorance, because I don't have any, but would a trigger do this?

 

[kkgaskin90]

Yes on the live rock. Could I really have gone a year and a half without noticing a mantis shrimp??
No triggers. When I had a trigger it was small and would pick up cuc and smash them. Not this methodical business.

 

[Shep]

Yes on the live rock. Could I really have gone a year and a half without noticing a mantis shrimp??
No triggers. When I had a trigger it was small and would pick up cuc and smash them. Not this methodical business.

They stay small for awhile and do not come out during the day. They can be very easy to miss

 

[zwulfke]

They stay small for awhile and do not come out during the day. They can be very easy to miss

Try to watch your tank late at night no lights listen for clicking that will be the tall tell sign of one. And they are hard to catch and can really hurt you so be carful

 

[saltyphish]

I have heard of people finding one after a tank was set-up a couple of years later. Definitely need to watch at night> I believe one of those infrared flashlight might help. Not sure if that light would spook them or not.