strange sounds from tank

[Janus]

ok we haave had our tank established for 4 months now and we keep hearing this strange sound like 2 ricks being clicked together when the tank lights are off. Its not that often that we hear it.....usually a couple of times a knight , so we are stumped.

livestock:
2 cinnamon clowns
1 peppermint shrimp
various dwarf and regular hermits
assorted snails

any ideas?

[Alamo]

yup... you either have a pistol shrimp "good for the most part" or a mantis shrimp "bad cuz he will slaughter your snails and hermits for food"

[Enigma13]

Agreed with Alamo. Keep an eye on all of your livestock to see if any start disappearing.

[seamonkey2]

look at you tank at night with a red lens flash light, to catch the bandit

Jose

[Sherri]

I have had the same for almost 2 yrs now & have yet to "see" my bandit. Believe it's a pistol shrimp since my hermits & snails are accounted for. Good luck! :)

[Richard]

If it is a mantis shrimp it would have to be a very, very small one or you wouldn't be listing a peppermint shrimp as your livestock.

I think I have read that the mantis shrimp will just click once every now and then while the pistol shrimp tend to do multiple clicks in a row.

You could always make a little trap by cutting the top off of a plastic coke bottle and inverting it. Then put a small piece of shrimp in it and leave it in the tank for the night. In the morning see if you caught anything.

HTH

[seamonkey2]

Good luck Fishing

[Janus]

yeah I am going to have to try something.....although if it is mantis I have a big prob because from what I saw there were at least 6-10 of em fleeing for cover when I switched on the lights, and that was just in 1 area.

As far as the peppermint shrimp goes...well we have not seen him for a few days so the verdict is still out on him being alive or not.

I thought I did a thourough job inspecting and cleaning all our rocks off b4 adding them to the tank. but all of these guys were tiny....biggest one was maybe 1/4"long.

[Richard]

although if it is mantis I have a big prob because from what I saw there were at least 6-10 of em fleeing for cover when I switched on the lights, and that was just in 1 area.


Those were probably just large amphipods.

[Janus]

hmmm ok then I may still have a mantis because we still hear the clicking sound. will see if any of our livestock shows wear.

[matt]

Did you buy any caribbean or Florida live rock?

[Janus]

hmmm most all of our live rock is fiji. though a few pieces were bought early on and I wasn't there for those so possibly