Something big lurking in the rocks....

[AJSTITAN14]

We have been seeing something in the live rock ejecting sand and debris from it's home. Whatever it is is pretty good sized because I saw it blast a crater in the sand about 2 inches across and half an inch deep with a jet of water. I changed the water about an hour ago and as the debris settled whatever it is that is living in there ejected 3 plumes of sand out of the holes in it's rock over the course of 15 minutes or so. All the livestock is accounted for and I don't hear clicking so I don't think it's a mantis. Plus all the hermits, shrimp and fish are fine so I don't think it's an octo. Whatever it is does not come out. I'm thinking we are going to have to take a look into the tank with a red light at night and see if it comes out.

Any idea what it might be? What types of animals that live in the rocks tend to behave like this?

[gem_nut85]

not an octopus, it would have eaten your fish by now, that's a weird one though, i say wait till a few hours after the lights off and watch carefully, or try to scoop the whole area of sand out with a pitcher or big measuring cup to hopefully capture whatever it is in the sand, maybe wear some kind of glove just in cast.

[gem_nut85]

where did you get that sand?!

[fancyfish]

do you know what rock it is in? if so I would take the rock out and fresh water dip it to see what comes out out the crevice

[ctenophors rule]

no!!! dont freshwater dip it, what if it is something cool! you could kill it.

[adambirk]

i would take the rock out and bust it in half (carefully) that way if it is something cool you wont kill it. unless it is a really cool peice of rock then you might just have to use red light in the middle of the night. also how long has this been in there? just wondering how it is eating if it has been in your tank for a while and you have never seen it.

[ctenophors rule]

why not use the red light? shouldn't take too long? lol

i remember sitting for 3 hours with the damn red light trying to see my snapper shrimp come out of his burrow, my rubber band spear loaded, only to realise he had moved to a new rock earlier. lol

[RedRider001]

i agree no killing it could be something cool i would redlight or just watch if it goes in the sand try to capture it then if you havent seen it eating it must just be picking at the rock when your not around or the sand

[adambirk]

have you found out what it is yet? inquiring minds want to know.

[mscarpena]

How about a clam or muscle of some sort??

[ehayden]

I was wondering about clam or such allso. Water jets and no deaths.