clicking!?

[twagshot]

I think I may have a mantis shrimp in my tank.

Factors:
1) Clicking sounds heard once in awhile. Usually not in rapid succession but about 2-3 in a row.

2) Six-line wrasse recently disappeared.

3) Small tunneling under rocks.

Is there anything else this could be? I have never actually seen a mantis shrimp in the tank.

Thanks!

 

[NanoReefWanabe]

i am not sure the fish eating (spearing) mantis clicks...but he may...

6lines are notorious jumpers...look around the back of the tank and in the sump etc...

how big are the tunnels under the rocks? how many other fish you have in the tank?...pretty sure spearers need about 6" of sand too, so if it is one he wont likely be happy in your tank...

 

[HaKs310]

Either mantis or a pistol shrimp. You won't see either out and about, only when they're feeding. Can you remove the rock with all the tunneling underneath it?

 

[twagshot]

i can probably try to remove the rock. I may also set a trap.

 

[dbarker]

I have a 6 line wrass and mantis in the same tank for 4 months now and the mantis has not bothered the wrass or any of the other fish.

The only thing I have known the mantis to eat have been the new snails from GARF at a dollar apiece!

He also eats frozen mysis shrime from the eyedropper.

I have two gobies that tunnel under several different rocks.

Debbie

 

[twagshot]

what could be another explanation for clicking noises? I have an emerald crab and a couple hermits and some snails. There isn't much else in there (that I know of)

 

[HaKs310]

IMO it is going to be a mantis shrimp. They're are two kinds: spearer and smasher, in your case I believe it is a spearer. Smashers don't really eat fish and only go for crabs, snails, molluscs and shrimp. A spearer likes softer meat, e.g: fish

 

[markviiisvt4]

I had the same thing going on. It turned out to be a brown crap that like to bang on the rocks.

 

[pkpthrillho]

I had a whole bunch of mantis+pistol shrimp in my TBS rock and managed to get rid of ALL of them with the carbonated water trick. HTH

 

[twagshot]

what's the carbonated water trick?

 

[NanoReefWanabe]

my vote goes for pistol shrimp....

i dont suggest moving the rocks without protect gloves either...

 

[cthedaytrader]

watch your hands I would agree with the Mantis people, I doubt the pistol shrimp took out the wrasse but a Mantis easily could

 

[ghostman]

I had clicking for years and never knew what is was, but during a tank move I saw a small pistol shrimp. I have also seen snails rapidly move their shells when irritated and make a clicking sound too. My vote goes to pistol shrimp, spearers don't make that much noise.

 

[reefer1024]

I vote for pistol shrimp, but my hermits also make a clicking noise when there shells bumb into the glass.

 

[NanoReefWanabe]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12893266#post12893266 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reefer1024
I vote for pistol shrimp, but my hermits also make a clicking noise when there shells bumb into the glass.

and it is painfully anoying when they wedge themselves between a powerhead and the glass...

but yeah mine sometime stop on the glass near the corner and the flow blasting them makes them click off the glass..

 

[cwilson]

how are your other fish? do any of them have any fin damage or any other signs of stress?

 

[jcollins]

I just heard clicking in my sps tank. I can't find it yet. I'll feed with the flow off in a few minutes. Hope he's still hungry.

I have had a lot of missing fish in the past. I also saw a bad cut on my sail fin tang. It is on his tail right before his fin. I though it was from my yellow tang.

 

[NanoReefWanabe]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12900906#post12900906 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jcollins
I just heard clicking in my sps tank. I can't find it yet. I'll feed with the flow off in a few minutes. Hope he's still hungry.

I have had a lot of missing fish in the past. I also saw a bad cut on my sail fin tang. It is on his tail right before his fin. I though it was from my yellow tang.

i have never seen a spearer miss a target...how big are the tangs?

as mentioned the spearers prey by stealth and explosive speed...not clicking

clicking is one of three things likely..
1. pistol shrimp, trying to ward off snails and crabs etc...
2. mantis (smasher), trying to kill snails and crabs..
3. crab or snail on the glass banging its shell off the glass...

just my .o2

 

[Thrashie]

i've had the same snapping in my tank for several years in my 11g tank. Then when i uprgaded and moved everything to a 30g the snapping went with it....I have YET to figure out what it is...sometimes it's a sinlge snap...or 1 loud snap with 2-3 not as loud, but a definate snap...
I'm not missing anyfish, nor am i finding crab/snail shells empty and piled up...I do notice the clicking does pickup sometimes when i feed the tank...but have yet to ever see what the culprit is...(shrugs)