Clicking sound. Pistol or mantis?

[Carey19d]

I have a 20long that has been running for 3 months. It has approx. 25lbs of LR and roughly 20lbs of sand. Have a pair of O. Clowns and 2 frags (gsp and brown button) planning on more coral once I get better lights. Anyways I have about 8 hermits 3 Margarita snails, and 1 emerald crab. Over the last month, maybe less I've heard clicking coming from the tank. I only hear it after I switch to the blue LEDs, and it's only been maybe 2 times a week. Sometimes it's 1-2 clicks and other times it will be a bunch of clicks. At first I though it was sand getting sucked up my filter but I actually tried that and it didn't make the same sound. I haven't lost any livestock that I'm aware of, although I may have lost a hermit or 2 as I can't count them all at once ever.

I added a orange stripe goby 2 days ago and he immediately swam behind my biggest piece of LR and I haven't seen him since. I've tried feeding but no sign of him. Anyways do you think I have a mantis or a pistol shrimp and did the goby go join him or turn into lunch lol.

 

[Berje]

I would say pistol, since its hiding. the mantis's ive had as hitch hikers weren't shy at all. They would come out and eat snails and hermits.

 

[71Percent]

Although it could be a mantis as well. Especially when it is new rock, they can be very small and shy. I'm actually leaning towards a mantis as I have a pistol and had a mantis. Most of the time, my pistol will fire off one, maybe two shots. If you hear more than this, it could be a mantis either breaking open a shell or building his burrough. Most likely both species won't go after your fish. Unless it is a spearer mantis. Also, with a few snails and hermits around, there are easier pickings. Just keep observing - you will see whatever it is shortly.

 

[Calappidae]

Most likely mantis.

Remove it from the tank.. but PLEASE DO NOT KILL IT!! give it away, sump it, or setup another tank for it... they're way too precise to waste and some hobbiest will even pay top dollar for one. :hmm5:

No hitchhiking species of pistol will pair with a goby. All the goby shrimp usually live in the sand whereas colonal species live in rock and sponges. Not saying it isn't entirely possible and coincidental the goby went over there.

One of my mantis swims around with no reason at all, one of my mantis never leaves it's cavity, and the other one comes out only to eat. They're very unpredictable in behavior.

Smashers can strike with a closed dactyl AND an open one.. in otherwords they're more than capable of smashing crabs.. and stabbing fish like a spearer.

 

[Carey19d]

So basically I have to hope to catch him out of his hole to figure out what he is. Hmm. I have a pretty good idea what rock he's in or under. Maybe I'll just tear the tank up a bit.

I would love to keep the mantis or pistol, but I also want my fish so I'll figure out another tank for him.

 

[Betta132]

Hitch-hiker pistols are usually harmless, they just probably won't sit with gobies.
If you go after it, be careful... You won't be happy if a mantis tags you, even a small one.

 

[Carey19d]

Oh I can imagine. I will be careful. I just want to know what it is, and if I even have something.

 

[Betta132]

The goby is probably just being shy.
Try a bottle trap, first. Cut the front third off a bottle, shove it back in, but backwards, and stick food in there. Works for both mantis shrimp and pistol shrimp, plus it may catch your goby.

 

[Calappidae]

Here is an idea of a stomatopod strike (credit to one of our members who made this vid here on RC)
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and here is a pistol. (I actually found this quite hililarous..)

<object width="420" height="315"><param name="movie" value="//www.youtube.com/v/p6aYIy_aE98?version=3&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="//www.youtube.com/v/p6aYIy_aE98?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="420" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>

Keep in mind of two things.. a mantis HITS inorder to make a sound.. in other words it's going to depend o nthe surface being hit for the sound's pitch to change..

A pistol on the other hand is completely in control of the sound it makes. Usually they all sound the same.. depends on whether there is an echoe in the rock or something.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Off topic but i'd like to note how harmless a pistol shrimp's snap is.. firstly, that is a WILD pistol shrimp with full water pressure snapping.. that guy didn't show any injury..

 

[Betta132]

That sound thing is a good point. Pistols usually sound the same, albiet muffled sometimes.
I've been snapped by my 2" tiger pistol before; felt like getting hit with a rubber band. A really big one might leave a bruise, but unless your finger is where you keep all your vital organs, you're in absolutely no danger. It might sting a good bit if a pistol nails your fingertip, but it's really not that bad.

 

[Carey19d]

Calappidae your links didn't show up. I'm going to do some rearranging in my tank today anyways. I don't have but 2 little frags so moving my rock around won't be hard at all.

Also I have seen any cracked or broken shells or pieces of crabs, so if it is a mantis, would it be eating the brine/mysis shrimp I feed my clowns? And if it's a pistol shrimp, what would it be eating?

 

[Calappidae]

Calappidae your links didn't show up. I'm going to do some rearranging in my tank today anyways. I don't have but 2 little frags so moving my rock around won't be hard at all.

Also I have seen any cracked or broken shells or pieces of crabs, so if it is a mantis, would it be eating the brine/mysis shrimp I feed my clowns? And if it's a pistol shrimp, what would it be eating?

Pistol and mantis would eat mysis/brine.
Heres the links sorry about that.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTw8ask3ByQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6aYIy_aE98

 

[Carey19d]

Thanks it worked that time. Honestly it sounds more like the mantis hitting that snail shell. But multiple times. Although it could be the pistol as well so who knows.