GASP!!!...The dreaded popping sound!!!

[reefin_with_jesus]

I'm hearing the dreaded popping sound coming from my tank. I have yet to see what could be making it, though. I know chances are good that it's a mantis, but it could be a pistol shrimp too, right? That's probably just wishful thinking, huh? It can be really loud, whatever it is. I don't want to take an drastic measures to catch a mantis shrimp though until I know that's what it is. I must see it for myself. When am I most likely to see it out? At night? Thanks. Lance.

 

[bluemarlin]

reefin with Jesus? Thats deep
Its probably a mantis shrimp if you hear a clicking sound. Maybe two or three clicks in a row. You'll have to watch the LR closely and you'll see him scoot out of one hole and into another. Have you lost any fish yet?

 

[m1rodrig]

I'm not sure but I think mantis shrimp don't make popping sounds.I think it is the pistol shrimp that does.It could be snails too.My snails pop against the glass sometimes.

 

[bang guy]

I've had both. A Mantis in a species tank and a Pistol shrimp in the reef. Side by side, I can't tell the difference in sound.
Smashers have a bad habit of accumulating a pile of shells outside their burrow. If you're not missing snails or hermits then you probably don't have a smasher.
Spearers eat fish and they are very good at it. If you're not missing fish then you probably have a harmless Pistol Shrimp.
As said before sometimes a snail will click against the glass to try to remove something on its shell. In addition I've heard popping sounds coming from a male Clown when being submissive and from a female Banggai when courting a male.

 

[m1rodrig]

Bang guy so both of these will make popping sounds?A pistol and a mantis

 

[rockster]

My bet is that it's a snail wiggling it's body and in so doing hits its shell against the glass. I have seen this in my tank so many times. Try looking at the snails when you hear the sound...you'll be pleasantly surprised. Just my .02

 

[mr.crabs]

I had a blue leg hermit that was tapping its shell against the glass. It was very loud. I could hear it across the house.

 

[reefin_with_jesus]

I sincerely doubt that it's the snails. The popping is quite loud for one, and for another...the snail population is diminishing. I've stacked up empty shells along with some rock rubble to make an "invertebrate graveyard" that serves the purpose of a breeding ground for my pods. In all, I've lost about 4 Trochus snails (my favorites, of course) and 4 or 5 hermits. Doesn't this sound like the work of a mantis?

 

[broomer5]

The only times I "see" the mantis shrimp in my tank is after feeding. If I wait 2-3 days between feedings - the chances are better it will come out of hiding.
If I wait a few days - then as soon as I feed the corals/inverts/fish - the little bugger shows it's face.
Weeks if not months will go by without hearing a sound - then it starts up again - popping away.
I've lost several emerald crabs, 2 peppermint shrimp and a cleaner shrimp in the past two years that it's been in my tank. Although I did not get a good look at it until much later.
I've finally ID'd the rock(s) it lives in, I think, and plan to remove the rock and little bugger once and for all.
Waiting for my new live rock to get here, then cure it, then when it's ready to go into the tank - it's mantis removal time.
Until then - no more crabs or shrimp going into this tank.
reefin_with_jesus,
You might want to try looking for it after feeding frozen foods, push a little crumb near it's hiding place with a long plastic rod or something similar. It just may show it's nasty self to you then.