ID Please - could this shrimp click??

[JonF]

Hi All - I am on the verge of taking all the rock out of my tank for two reasons -
1. I am hearing clicking every evening which i am assuming is a mantis shrimp.
2. my gem tang's fins have big chunks bitten out of them - which I assume is a mantis shrimp tearing at them while the gem tang sleeps.

I don't think anything else in the tank would be taking chunks out of the fins of that tang. I caught the shrimp in this photo. Could this be the culprit for the clicking - i don't think he's a mantis but thought i would check. Thanks.

 

[JonF]

Another pic

Another pic

Here's another pic of the tang.

 

[Reaper591]

The shrimp pictured is a pistol shrimp, which are generally very harmless. You are hearing his/her "snapping" or clicking sound which can be very similar to that of a mantis, caused by the rush of water through its pinchers. If you are seeing missing chunks from your fish and are hearing the pistol shrimp snapping at night, I would be on the look out for another nocturnal culprit that may have been a hitchhiker at one point. It looks like your pistol shrimp is missing a claw as well, so he is also being beat up. Some of the nastiest pests can hide in the rock all day and come out at night, keep an eye out!

 

[JonF]

OK - makes me think it is the right idea to take all the rock out of the tank, dry it out for a few days and then put it back. Whatever is taking chunks out of the fish needs to go!

 

[JonF]

After some reading on the forums, i am thinking the fin nipping is being caused by emerald crabs - does that seem likely?

 

[Calappidae]

After some reading on the forums, i am thinking the fin nipping is being caused by emerald crabs - does that seem likely?

Very

Even mantis shrimp don't normally hurt big fish, if the fish were attacked by a mantis, it'd be dead, and if it were attacked by a pistol shrimp, nothing would happen. The pistol is harmless and you can actually throw it back in.

 

[EI Gringo]

Not good to kill all your LR and chuck it back in.. Ammonia!