Mantis or Pistol Shrimp?

Oscar · #1 08-11-2008, 07:35 PM

Over the past two weeks I have heard some clicking in my tank. This has occured around 4:00am when the tank is completely dark except for some stray light from the refugium.

My first thought was that a mantis hitchhiked in with my rock, but I read elsewhere that it could also be a pistol shrimp.

I kind of freaked out at first although with a bit of reading about mantis shrimps I am bit calmer here today.

So a couple of questions:
1. How do I determine if the clicking is from a mantis, pistol, or my imagination?
2. If I have a mantis or pistol what have other peoples experiences regarding losses of critters and fish?

MikeP · #2 08-11-2008, 07:40 PM

I've had a pistol/goby pair for about a year. He will "click" at night sometimes. A pistol shrimp wouldn't go after a fish as far as I know. They would go after a shrimp like a cleaner or peppermint. Investigate your tank with a flashlight after lights out and see what you find. Although my pistol will poke his head out during the day and stay hidden all night.

HTH

marie · #3 08-11-2008, 07:48 PM

It could also be snails clicking against the glass

Oscar · #4 08-11-2008, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marie

It could also be snails clicking against the glass

Doing a jig?

ElGuappo · #5 08-11-2008, 08:02 PM

im going thru this right nnow as well my tank is just about 1 year and now i hear clicking wonce in a while and in the last 2weeks my jawfish and tobbacco bass have gone missing, yesterday i found a half eaten cleaner shrimp and saw a sandsifting star upsidedown in the jawfishes old home. later that day i came home to see one of my fire shrimp the diameter of a nickle being dragged under. have set a bottle trap to no avail. just have no time to take apart my tank. im hoping nothing else goes in by thurs when i have some time. if i trace back to day one i can say that i didnt realize that my smallest hermits were going missing i asumed they were growing and killing each other for shells. also noticed one of my marg snails has a crack all the way around.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAw Crap this hobby can be frusterating at the best of times.

Oscar · #6 08-11-2008, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElGuappo

if i trace back to day one i can say that i didnt realize that my smallest hermits were going missing i asumed they were growing and killing each other for shells. also noticed one of my marg snails has a crack all the way around.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAw Crap this hobby can be frusterating at the best of times.

I need to do a head count on my snails and hermits as well.

mseepman · #7 08-11-2008, 10:30 PM

Oscar,

I just bought a pistol/goby pair for my "in progress" nano tank. They are very cool when in a pair.

It sounds to me like you have a pistol shrimp in there somewhere. Usually they are harmless to to most things except other shrimp, like cleaners, etc.

I would keep looking with the flashlight, but I wouldn't worry too much.

Oscar · #8 08-11-2008, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeP

I've had a pistol/goby pair for about a year. He will "click" at night sometimes. A pistol shrimp wouldn't go after a fish as far as I know. They would go after a shrimp like a cleaner or peppermint. Investigate your tank with a flashlight after lights out and see what you find. Although my pistol will poke his head out during the day and stay hidden all night.

HTH

I will keep looking at night. Another interesting item I saw float by yesterday was a "shrimp" molt. It was about 1/4" in length and looked like a small version of a shrimp you put on the barby. Have not seen this live critter yet.