clicking noise in tank?

[bjohnston]

I have heard several times a clicking sound coming from my tank. It's very noticable and it last for 2 to 5 clicks and then stops. Does anyone have an idea what would make this sound?

 

[vsnsofadrgn]

it could be a pistol shrimp or a mantis shrimp. pistols are great. mantiss' will kill anything they can get their hands on, or should i say claws, LOL.

 

[roka64]

I agree. Are there and burrows in the sand? If you update your "my info" with your tank/equip/critters, it would help us. Have you had any folks go missing?

 

[bjohnston]

Thanks for the feedback. I have lost a number of animals over the last several months.
Losses include: 5 or 6 hermit crabs, 1 blenny, 2or3(not sure) snails, and one sand sifting star fish had two arms ripped off and died. All appeared to be at least partly eaten.
Tank information:
210 gal display
45 gal refug.
25 gal sump
Large oversized skimmer Aqua-Medic
250lbs. live rock
4 anthias
3 tangs
1 foxface
1(remaining) blenny
corals:
Button Polyp
Hammer
Colt
candy
Montipora
Leather
Galaxia
Frogspawn
Various mushrooms
brain
Crocea clam
Various snails and clean-up crabs
1 sally lightfoot crab
1 arrow crab

 

[roka64]

Is there any way for you to tell what rock the clicking is coming from? Maybe you could set up a trap.....

 

[xkenneth]

From what you lost, IMO there is nothing that it can be other than a mantis. Mantis Shrimp's would make easy prey out of fish like dragonets and smaller inverts. I'd get your other mobile inverts and blenny out ASAP. Then what i'd do is try and find the rock he's in. You might just have to take each rock out at a time. WEAR THICK GLOVES, or grab the rock with some sort of pincer. Then take the rock and give it a hyper salinity dip. I believe the proper salinity for a hyper-salinity dip is 1.040 or something. Anyways, the mantis should shoot right out of the rock when you dip it in the water. Don't leave it in there too long as you don't want to do too much damage to the other lifeforms on the rock. Under a minute should be fine. You should also have a seperate tank ready to keep him or be ready to take him to an LFS as you can probably get some cash for him. If not they're absolutely fascinating but horrifying little guys. Be sure to put him in a tank that has atleast 1/4" acrylic, as he'll be able to break the glass with his claws on something like a ten gallon.

 

[Jermz79]

If you get him .... I will take him! I have a NanoCube that would be perfect for him!!!! I will pay shipping and even tell you how to set him up to survive the haul.

 

[bjohnston]

Thanks for the help. I will let you know if I locate or trap it.

 

[xkenneth]

Also, two how old is your tank? Are you sure you have the pod population to handle two blennys?

 

[bjohnston]

The tank is about 7 months old. I don't know if that's old enough for two blennys or not. The one remaining seems to be doing fine and I don't plan on replacing the dead one any time soon.

 

[Sadielynn]

Sorry this is a bit of a delayed response , perhaps check and see if a snail is on the glass in the range of the PH as this sometimes will make a clicking sound on the glass , I have had my heart sink once or twice from the sound , it may not be appearent at first glance . HTH