Trying to pin down behaviour

[AttackDonut]

My Mantis Shrimp clicks at night. He's the only inhabitant that could make the sound. Prior to his arrival, there were snails and live rock for about 6 months.

What is the reasoning behind the clicking? As far as I've been able to determine, this behaviour is only at night. Is he trying to attract food?

I feed him during the day and he is equally active then, burrowing holes, roaming about.

I'm still trying to get good pics, my digital camera won't focus on anything closer than one foot, so I'm looking into alternatives.

 

[lilswanwillow]

clicking only at night/?
its just him throwing a party mebbe?
or its just when he sees fit to construct burrows in the hard rock instead of sand?

 

[grampus]

it's normal for mantis's to excavate at night, it's probably just making it's burrow a little more roomy.

one of the funiest things i've seen is when my O.s. was lying on it's side getting comfy for the night but a very small rock protrusion was touching it's back, it tried to get comfy still and after like ten seconds it turned around and whack whack whack chipped off the protrusion untill it's cove was smooth walled, then went right back to the same postion. i just thought it was hillarious.

 

[AttackDonut]

I'm amazed

I'm amazed

at the digging this guy can do, he's very powerful to be able to chip rock away like he does.

So this clicking is not some kind of food luring but rather just home making?

 

[mdhyde]

the clicking is the sound of his claw. What he is using it for is anyone's guess. Often times they use the click to paralyize passing food. But in this case, it seems reasonable heis pounding on something trying to make it bigger.