Clicking sounds from tank - Please advise!

vickicj

vickicj

Member
Hello, I have a two year old 55 gallon tank - water quality is at optimum levels in all regards. All livestock has been in the tank for at least a year except for a new addition a little over a month ago - I lost my cleaner shrimp (evidently just died of natural causes due to his age) and replaced him with a new cleaner shrimp. Last nite I heard noises like a clicking sound - got up and did the parameter check of my home and of course nothing - now I have realized it's coming from my tank!!! I did buy a puffer about 2 months ago and it died within 2 weeks, other than that addition, only the shrimp - is it possible that a mantis could be in the tank? And if so, what should I do??? I have a maroon clownfish, a Coral Beauty Angelfish & a sandsifting starfish, along with a rock (flower) anemone....also some hermit crabs and a feather duster -
My question basically is: can a mantis hitchhike onto another fish or shrimp? I have not added any liverock for over a year.....????
 
tthemadd1

tthemadd1

Active Member
I would doubt that it hitched a ride with a fish. It might have just been in the tank for awhile without knowing it. You might want to buy a mantis trap. Most LFS have them. It might not have been big enough for you to notice before either.
Good luck and get the trap
 
tthemadd1

tthemadd1

Active Member
Sorry I was just thinking about using a soda bottle. Cut off the top, invert it and glue/tape it back on. Put some food inside and that should trap it
 
vickicj

vickicj

Member
Could it have been in the tank for over a year and just now getting big enough to be a problem? And I've heard that fish will start disapearing - I assume this is when they get to be the size this one must be - I can't believe I haven't seen it!!! Thanks everyone - I'm getting the trap today!
 
speg

speg

Active Member
Like someone else said it could have been a baby and slowly grown over time.
Describe the clicking noise.. does it sound as if someone has taken a small pebble and hurled it at your glass, almost as if your glass is going to crack? How do the 'clicks' go? Is it rapid fire, or like one or two clicks in a row. Do you have live sand? If so do you notice that sand has been pushed up out from under the rocks? If so, if there is a 'cave' try placing a piece of fish or something by that cave and watching to see if anything comes and gets it... a pistol shrimp will have one V shaped claw that is very thin and a second claw that is very large and thick used to make a snapping noise..
By the way... did you find the corpse of the cleaner shrimp? It has been a question that pistol shrimp have a taste for cleaner shrimp... I didnt think this was true.. but now I believe maybe some species of pistol shrimp actually will attack cleaner shrimp... of course I have no hard proof... but I believe! If like you said you're just not noticing the noise.. the pistol shrimp may just now be big enough to take on a cleaner shrimp... so be careful with the new one you got.
 
thegrog

thegrog

Active Member
You may have a mantis in there as suspected. It may have just grown large enough that it wants a new (or larger) home in your rock so it is chipping away at it's cave. Fish and shrimp will start vanishing if it gets large enough and hungry enough so get it before it gets them.
The soda bottle may work. Commercial traps would work too. Never had to use either (lucky me) so no real first hand experience.
If you do get it, put it in a small QT tank with a peice of rock in it.....NOT a bare tank else it will drill through the glass trying to make a cave (and they are powerful enough to do it). There are those out there who raise them and would be willing to take it off your hands. Despite their bad rep, they are really beautiful creatures!
 
vickicj

vickicj

Member
The clicking sounds more like something being thrown, not rapid-fire like. My tank is in our living room and the sound woke both my husband & me up, so pretty loud! I can't imagine who would want one of those things, but I'll take your advice - I'll call my LFS and ask them if they want it once I catch it (hope I catch it!!) And, to answer another question here, yes, my sand does get piled up in one portion of the tank, but I figured it was my clown who often sweeps her tail around her anemone, like she's sweeping the floor :) Oh, and yes, we did find the body of the cleaner when it died, it was a bit mutilated and had been pulled up under a piece of LR but most of it's carcass was there...
 
speg

speg

Active Member
Sounds like its a pistol shrimp to me.. not a mantis shrimp. The LFS will be glad to receive either one if you decide you dont want it :)
 
vickicj

vickicj

Member
I've heard way too many bad things about both to want either! I don't want to lose my lovely fish to a big mean invader :) Thanks all!
 
speg

speg

Active Member
A pistol shrimp is actually a good thing to have.. if in fact it is what it is.. they do have some downsides.. and its possible they may have a taste for cleaner shrimp... but very good sand stirer.
 
yacobito

yacobito

Member
I have a pistol shrimp, paired with my wheeler goby, and he clicks very loud when anyone but his best bud gets too close. At night I can hear him two rooms over, if the doors are open. If it is a pistol I wouldn't worry at all about him hurting anyone. I would think if it was a pistol shrimp you would know it though. Mine moves very large piles of sand and shells on a daily basis all over the place. I would think if you had one you would have noticed his tunnels, but maybe its a small one?
 
vickicj

vickicj

Member
I was looking at my tank and examining closely and found this strange looking centipede type worm - I'm sure this isn't the one that is clicking, but can anyone tell by this pic if this is a baby Mantis or something? It's very centipede like, lots of legs, oval body, looks the same on both ends tho.. ?
 
thegrog

thegrog

Active Member
Thats most likely a bristle worm. Not related to your culprit. Generally good for tanks as they feed on waste and detrius. Get to be a problem if too many are around (due to overfeeding)
 
vickicj

vickicj

Member
Thanks, you're right, I looked it up after your post and it definitely was a bristleworm - I say was because I pulled it out of the tank :)
 
bseth90

bseth90

Member
That didn't look like a bristle worm to me. Most are more red/black. Anyway....do you only hear this at night? My maroon clown makes clicking noises during the day. I know its him because I see him doing it. My guess is it's his teeth. My fish is about four years old and fairly large. Sometimes I hear him at night as well....back in his cave. Just another thought....probably a pistol though.
 
sweetfish

sweetfish

Member
Well I definitely have one clicking in my tank. Did not know what the clicking sound was til I asked and read in here. I am not happy he is in there. The sound is definitely like little rocks being thrown at the glass and can only here him when the tank is dark and moonlights are on. I will try to find a trap to purchase. If anyone wants him, you can have him. Let me know. No fish missing as of yet, yet I say. LOL
 
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