Tapping on Glass???

[t316]

Happen to be sitting near the tank late last night, and then the dreaded....tap tap tap tap tap.

Not sure what it was, but I think I read that it's not good. Mantis??? Never heard this before. It was pretty loud and sounded like someone had the edge of a quarter smacking on the glass. Advice?

 

[michaeltx]

how many times did it snap?
could have been a snail hitting the glass or even a pistol shrimp so I wouldnt jump to a mantis just yet anyway.
how long has the tank been setup?
Mike

 

[spiderwoman]

My hermits do that sometimes.

 

[m0nk]

Originally Posted by T316
http:///forum/post/2478761
Happen to be sitting near the tank late last night, and then the dreaded....tap tap tap tap tap.

Not sure what it was, but I think I read that it's not good. Mantis??? Never heard this before. It was pretty loud and sounded like someone had the edge of a quarter smacking on the glass. Advice?
I've heard that from hermits trying to climb up rock that's next to the glass, when their shells smack against the glass.

 

[t316]

Originally Posted by MichaelTX
http:///forum/post/2478765
how many times did it snap?
could have been a snail hitting the glass or even a pistol shrimp so I wouldnt jump to a mantis just yet anyway.
how long has the tank been setup?
Mike
A little over 6 months. It's a 280 gal glass with about 250 lbs of lr.
I'd say at least 5-6 taps, and they were very systematic, right in a row. I jumped out of the chair and searched, first w/ red light, then flash light, but only saw the usuals. There were alot of snails out, but the taps were not broken up.

 

[michaeltx]

I would blame it on one of them now and keep looking when you here it or if you hear it again if its a mantis youll hvae to narrow down the hiding place to do anything but I suspect its going to be the hermits or a snail in there.
Mike

 

[t316]

Please...Please be a snail or hermit

But that was loud
I'll listen tonight, but even if I were to find a hiding place, without a some kind of trap it's going to be impossible. I can't even catch a fish in there.

 

[veni vidi vici]

I went through the same ordeal......It ended up being a Pistol Shrimp.I rarely ever see it and when i do its usually just a claw or part of the body.When my Daimond Goby or Lawnmower Blenny go near him(tucked under some LR or in a crevice) he starts clicking, usually a series of 3 to 5 snaps until they move on.
And if its a Mantis,i would imagine you will start losing fish and inverts , or start finding smashed snail shells.

 

[t316]

Originally Posted by Veni Vidi Vici
http:///forum/post/2478999
I went through the same ordeal......It ended up being a Pistol Shrimp.I rarely ever see it and when i do its usually just a claw or part of the body.When my Daimond Goby or Lawnmower Blenny go near him(tucked under some LR or in a crevice) he starts clicking, usually a series of 3 to 5 snaps until they move on.
And if its a Mantis,i would imagine you will start losing fish and inverts , or start finding smashed snail shells.
How did you find the Pistol? Do they come out at night?

 

[veni vidi vici]

Originally Posted by T316
http:///forum/post/2479016
How did you find the Pistol? Do they come out at night?
On accident.LOL Mine is a very elusive little critter.At first i would creep around my 26g tank i had in kitchen at night with a led light trying to find him.BTW my family almost had me commited for insanity. I took LR out and did a high saltinity dip ...still nothing.Broke down the 26 and put the LR in my 75 and one day when i wasnt looking for him i got a glimpse of a gigantic claw

.I stopped trying to find him along time ago ,but i do catch a glimps of him now and then.I hear him every day though.
Good Luck

 

[hefner413]

wow, that's crazy... anything you can do about it? Any I guess the biggest risk with those are that they can actually crack the tank, I've heard?

 

[t316]

Originally Posted by Hefner413
http:///forum/post/2480068
wow, that's crazy... anything you can do about it? Any I guess the biggest risk with those are that they can actually crack the tank, I've heard?
That's the main thing that worries me. Doing some research, I read that pound for pound, they "can" have the same effect/punch as a .22 cal. bullet

 

[t316]

oh yeah, and last night I tried the pantyhose trap trick that I read about. I didn't catch any mantis or pistol, but it did create a nessarius party within minutes (must have been 20 or more all wrapped up like a softball). And this morning a hugh fire bristle worm had joined the party (he must have been 5-6 in. long.

 

[veni vidi vici]

From what i understand the whole "Mantis / Pistole Shrimp breaking glass"thing is a old wives tale.I havent read or seen a post yet that says"My Mantis / Pistol Shrimp Broke The Glass In My Tank!!"yet.But then again i havent been in this hobby very long.

 

[fishy7]

Hey T. Sorry to hear of your tapping noise. I went through this same situation and it end up killing fish and pretty much my clean up crew.
I have a 215 with 280lbs of LR. I tried all the tricks and was not successful. The harder I tried the more he killed.
Save yourself the headache and pull the rocks and get him out.
I did it this way and was successful.....
Determine mantis or pistol
Locate his hangout area
mix up 50 gal of SW
pull all the top rocks and place them in the water from your tank
Have a friend watch your rock you think he is in
quickly place a net under the rock so he does not get away. Becareful to not desturb SB.
Restack all the rocks and you are good to go.
I am told he can crack the smaller tanks but not the ones with very thick glass like yours.
Keep us posted and goooood luck

 

[sexyshrimp101]

Were the clicks fast, one after the other? If so, you may be able to rule out mantis. They sort of wind up before each whack and usually don't do multiple whacks (more than a few in a row), or at least that is my experience with them so far, but I could be wrong. I hope for your tank's sake it isn't a mantis. Keep us updated

 

[t316]

Originally Posted by FISHY7
http:///forum/post/2480998
Hey T. Sorry to hear of your tapping noise. I went through this same situation and it end up killing fish and pretty much my clean up crew.
I have a 215 with 280lbs of LR. I tried all the tricks and was not successful. The harder I tried the more he killed.
Save yourself the headache and pull the rocks and get him out.
I did it this way and was successful.....
Determine mantis or pistol
Locate his hangout area
mix up 50 gal of SW
pull all the top rocks and place them in the water from your tank
Have a friend watch your rock you think he is in
quickly place a net under the rock so he does not get away. Becareful to not desturb SB.
Restack all the rocks and you are good to go.
I am told he can crack the smaller tanks but not the ones with very thick glass like yours.
Keep us posted and goooood luck

Even if I did decide to start moving rocks, I have not located his spot yet...for that matter, I have not even verified who/what it is.
Yeah, I don't know if I buy into the whole "glass break" thing either. My glass is 3/4 in. thick. It would have to take one heck of a blow.

 

[t316]

Originally Posted by sexyshrimp101
http:///forum/post/2481010
Were the clicks fast, one after the other? If so, you may be able to rule out mantis. They sort of wind up before each whack and usually don't do multiple whacks (more than a few in a row), or at least that is my experience with them so far, but I could be wrong. I hope for your tank's sake it isn't a mantis. Keep us updated

Yes, about 5-6 taps in 3 secs. I hope you are right

 

[bigmac]

Originally Posted by T316
http:///forum/post/2480717
oh yeah, and last night I tried the pantyhose trap trick that I read about. I didn't catch any mantis or pistol, but it did create a nessarius party within minutes (must have been 20 or more all wrapped up like a softball). And this morning a hugh fire bristle worm had joined the party (he must have been 5-6 in. long.

T, I might of missed a past thread or post..Are you losing fish or inverts? Other then a snap or tap on the glass what's the problem? Can you say paranoia?

 

[scotts]

I tell you what, the first Saturday night race I come over with a million candle power flood light. We watch the race, when it is over we sneak in the room with the tank, I shine the light and find the sucker and it will just stare at the light like a deer in headlights, you blast it with a shot gun and if there is anything left of it we BBQ it right then and there.
Howz that sound?