Clicking sound in reef tank

[audifusion]

Keep hearing this weird clicking sound in my tank . Typically it occurs when the lights are off.

My tank :

120 gallon peninsula rimless

Inmates:

Sailfin tang
Blue tang
Clown trigger
3 clown fish
2 long nose hawk fish
2 watchmen goby
3 cleaner shrimp
Yellow tang
Couple of hermits
Couple of turbo snails
Red Sea fan
Zoa colony
Elegant coral

One of my hawk fish has disappeared, a couple turbo snails gone.

I have heard that mantis and pistol shrimp produce a clicking sound but haven't seen either.

Any thoughts?

 

[Sniperhank]

Either one or the other. Tilt a glass on its side against the rocks and put some food in it. See what goes for the bait.

 

[BigRedsReefs10]

Use a red light and investigate the tank a few hours after the lights go off. Also pay close attention to the sand bed and see if you notice any changes or rubble forming around a rock.

 

[Animal-Chin]

I've had a clicking shrimp hiding in my rock for years and years. I hear the clicks at night and I have what I call "the grave yard" which is where it piles up snail shells. I just buy new snails about once a year and pull the shells out sometimes. I know its killing them cause the dead snails are in teh exact same spot every time.

 

[Bray84]

I had same in mine and found this little guy when took a rock out to clean it.


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[audifusion]

I had same in mine and found this little guy when took a rock out to clean it.View attachment 244731


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Yikes! How big was the pistol shrimp? Hard to tell from the pic.

Tried looking last night with a red light, couldn't find anything.

 

[AbsoluteFaye]

I have a mantis shrimp (on purpose) and she moves her gravel around every day. She has a burrow which she closes up at night with pebbles. So yeah I'd look for pebbles that weren't there before or possibly set a trap to see what you can catch. Mantis shrimp can swim so a tilted glass won't really work if that's what it is.


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[audifusion]

Trap is set... Will update in the AM...

 

[Bray84]

Was only small about size of thumb nail but still hear it but ain't seen it since.


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[audifusion]

Didn't get anything in the trap... Will try again tonight!

 

[buxndux]

Could it be your heaters clicking on and off...?

 

[Gregcoyote]

Power heads sometimes click, but my guess is there's something missing on your stocking list; a pistol shrimp. I'd keep him, they are cool.


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[audifusion]

Given up for now ... Would be nice to find out where a couple fish literally disappeared to, but haven't been a able to catch any predatory shrimps .

Thanks for the input anyways

 

[Sniperhank]

Wait a couple hours after lights out and use a red light to look into the tank. See what you see.

 

[Powderbluetyler]

My guess would be a snapping pistol shrimp that is being harassed by you trigger fish at night. If it was me I would get a gobi that would pair with pistol shrimp, see if they pair up and snapping should stop when gobi is with it.


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[audifusion]

Had 2 watchman gobies, one disappeared ... The other jumped out of the tank .

They were pretty cool though, constantly sifting the sand.

 

[mwilliams]

If you are missing fish and no bodies to be found my guess is that the clicking noise is from a Mantis. If it was me I would plan on a Friday or Saturday and turn off the lights I would put a piece of table shrimp out front and wait using one of those head lamps that you can get at Walmart or Academy they have a red light on it as well and wait and see what comes out to eat the shrimp.

 

[BigRedsReefs10]

If you are missing fish and no bodies to be found my guess is that the clicking noise is from a Mantis. If it was me I would plan on a Friday or Saturday and turn off the lights I would put a piece of table shrimp out front and wait using one of those head lamps that you can get at Walmart or Academy they have a red light on it as well and wait and see what comes out to eat the shrimp.

Mantis can see red light, their eyes are pretty amazing actually. A Trap or pulling each rock for a dip in high salinity water (1.035) and seeing what comes out are probably your only options for a mantis.

 

[Gregcoyote]

Mantis makes more than a clicking noise. All the ones I've been around make a popping sound and it's pretty loud. From a "critter" standpoint, he may be one of the coolest things in your tank. But not if it's killing fish.


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[audifusion]

Might have something! Need help IDing this little sucker.