clicking noise in tank?

Leilani57 · 07/19/2007, 05:30 PM

i hear a clicking sound about every other day and today have heard it today about 4x, more often than usual. it's a pretty loud clicking noise. they usually come in groups of two clicks at a time, one right after the other. any idea what this could be?

Jeff · 07/19/2007, 05:33 PM

Perhaps it is a pistol shrimp.

TWallace · 07/19/2007, 05:35 PM

Clicking noises are almost always a pistol shrimp or a mantis shrimp from what I've read. I don't have first hand experience though. I found a mantis in a previous tank, but never heard clicks from it.

mr_o98 · 07/19/2007, 05:48 PM

I would go with a pistol shrimp

Boomstick · 07/19/2007, 05:48 PM

Could be a Pistol Shrimp, thats the most common Clicker.... These guys can shoot prey with bubbles that are the heat of the sun.

Seriously.

Leilani57 · 07/19/2007, 05:48 PM

if it was a pistol shrimp, wouldn't i be losing fish or my peppermint shrimp to it?

here's a cool video of the pistol shrimp firing the bubbles that are the temperture of the sun that you speak of. seriously.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKPrGxB1Kzc

tmz · 07/19/2007, 06:07 PM

It could be either a mantis or pistol. If it's small you wont loose anything to it for a while. I have a pistol and have had him for over 4yrs. He is now qutie large (about 3inches). he is reclusive staying under or in the rockwork. He clicks at me when my hand is in the tank and makes me jump. Nipped my finger once. He will shoot out water with his oversized snapping claw to frieghten or stun prey or threats. Mine never took a fish although he did rip a puprple firefish that invaded his burrow. Despite a nasty wound this fish survived and stayed on the other side of the tank. The pistol also digs alot and will destabilize your rock if there not on the glass. The pistol does take some snails and crabs, I don't know if its for food or material for his burrow or both. I've also had a mantis and kept him in a 10gallon tank by himself. The clicking sound was identical but the mantis clicked by slamming his striker into rock or glass. I think the mantis is a more common hitch hiker than the pistol. Large mantis can and do take fish and anything else they can spear. They are also know as thumbsplitters so be careful .

Leilani57 · 07/19/2007, 06:57 PM

wow, that is kind of a bummer. no way to catch them without ripping the entire tank down and even then it would probably be difficult... so i just have to live with him and hope he doesn't kill fish as he gets older? that totally sucks.

tmz · 07/19/2007, 07:15 PM

You might be able to catch him in a trap but I haven't ever had luck with that approach. Other"s claim to have had success. More"bad"news while cleaners and peppermints live about 2yrs ,pistols can go 6.

Anemone · 07/19/2007, 07:22 PM

Unfortunately, a clicking sound is not definitive. Yes it can be a pistol shrimp. Yes it could be a mantis. It could also be a snail or a hermit crab - I've had both produce sounds exactly like my pistol shimp's "click" by smacking their shells into the tank glass (or acrylic).

FWIW,
Kevin

07/19/2007, 05:30 PM	#1
Leilani57 Carbon Free Girl Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: planet earth Posts: 133	clicking noise in tank? i hear a clicking sound about every other day and today have heard it today about 4x, more often than usual. it's a pretty loud clicking noise. they usually come in groups of two clicks at a time, one right after the other. any idea what this could be? __________________ Recycling is not foreplay, but it is still very important.

07/19/2007, 05:33 PM	#2
Jeff Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Chicago Posts: 11,907	Perhaps it is a pistol shrimp. __________________ Always remember.... any time you reef, you also reef with every reefer that reefer has reefed with. Mitch 2/18/10 IWNFT343F Current Tank Info: Innovative Marine 20

07/19/2007, 05:48 PM	#4
mr_o98 Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Pen Argyl, PA Posts: 600	I would go with a pistol shrimp __________________ Sometimes I amaze even myself. I feel like I have TWO brilliant minds. Current Tank Info: 90g fish only tank, Green Chromis, Ocellaris clown, 6 line Wrasse, Convict Tang, Foxface Lo, Decorator Goby, Lemon Drop butterfly, Flameback Angel - 30g sump, Euro Reef skimmer, 2 250w MH

07/19/2007, 05:48 PM	#5
Boomstick Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Cornelius, NC Posts: 163	Could be a Pistol Shrimp, thats the most common Clicker.... These guys can shoot prey with bubbles that are the heat of the sun. Seriously. __________________ Live Long and Prosper Current Tank Info: 10g Nano, LR, LS, 2xClown (captive breed) 1xNano Goby - Caretaker and student of an established 55g

07/19/2007, 05:48 PM	#6
Leilani57 Carbon Free Girl Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: planet earth Posts: 133	if it was a pistol shrimp, wouldn't i be losing fish or my peppermint shrimp to it? here's a cool video of the pistol shrimp firing the bubbles that are the temperture of the sun that you speak of. seriously. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKPrGxB1Kzc __________________ Recycling is not foreplay, but it is still very important.

07/19/2007, 05:35 PM	#3
TWallace Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Seattle Posts: 1,464	Clicking noises are almost always a pistol shrimp or a mantis shrimp from what I've read. I don't have first hand experience though. I found a mantis in a previous tank, but never heard clicks from it.

07/19/2007, 06:07 PM	#7
tmz ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Seneca NY Posts: 27,691	It could be either a mantis or pistol. If it's small you wont loose anything to it for a while. I have a pistol and have had him for over 4yrs. He is now qutie large (about 3inches). he is reclusive staying under or in the rockwork. He clicks at me when my hand is in the tank and makes me jump. Nipped my finger once. He will shoot out water with his oversized snapping claw to frieghten or stun prey or threats. Mine never took a fish although he did rip a puprple firefish that invaded his burrow. Despite a nasty wound this fish survived and stayed on the other side of the tank. The pistol also digs alot and will destabilize your rock if there not on the glass. The pistol does take some snails and crabs, I don't know if its for food or material for his burrow or both. I've also had a mantis and kept him in a 10gallon tank by himself. The clicking sound was identical but the mantis clicked by slamming his striker into rock or glass. I think the mantis is a more common hitch hiker than the pistol. Large mantis can and do take fish and anything else they can spear. They are also know as thumbsplitters so be careful . __________________ Tom Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals.

07/19/2007, 06:57 PM	#8
Leilani57 Carbon Free Girl Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: planet earth Posts: 133	wow, that is kind of a bummer. no way to catch them without ripping the entire tank down and even then it would probably be difficult... so i just have to live with him and hope he doesn't kill fish as he gets older? that totally sucks. __________________ Recycling is not foreplay, but it is still very important.

07/19/2007, 07:15 PM	#9
tmz ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Seneca NY Posts: 27,691	You might be able to catch him in a trap but I haven't ever had luck with that approach. Other"s claim to have had success. More"bad"news while cleaners and peppermints live about 2yrs ,pistols can go 6. __________________ Tom Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals.

07/19/2007, 07:22 PM	#10
Anemone Cloning Around Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Valencia, California Posts: 25,267	Unfortunately, a clicking sound is not definitive. Yes it can be a pistol shrimp. Yes it could be a mantis. It could also be a snail or a hermit crab - I've had both produce sounds exactly like my pistol shimp's "click" by smacking their shells into the tank glass (or acrylic). FWIW, Kevin __________________ Back in the pool, swimming with the sharks... Current Tank Info: Red Sea 425XL w/Kessil AP700, Vertex 180i Skimmer, 2 x Vortech MP40s