Best way to ID Pistol/Mantis???

[karlseith]

I hear clicking in my 72g FOWLR, usually after the lights go out, but I have not seen any shrimp only a fuzzy crab that hitchhiked on the live rock. What is the best way to determine what is in there? How do I entice what ever is making the noises (presumably a shrimp of some kind, or is it?) out of hiding??

 

[Wood_Dog]

It will be a shrimp of some kind. Best way to ID it is to try to see it...and thats not always easy. I found they dont venture out much when they are small...but once they grow they get a bit braver and you see them more. You can try a fashlight after lights out when you hear the clicking...but thats hit and miss too. If you can narrow the noise down to a specific rock you can pull the rock out and try to flush it out. Good luck

 

[roka64]

You can try a fashlight after lights out

Get one with a red lense, that might get you better results.

How do I entice what ever is making the noises (presumably a shrimp of some kind, or is it?) out of hiding??

I have read someone was able to put a piece of shrimp in a jar, facing up, and the shrimp got in and couldn't get out. You will have to try to set this up next to the rock. Others have said this hasn't worked.

 

[newfound77951]

I think that trick works with crabs, not shrimp which can usually swim out of the jar.

I have similar noises in my tank; I did get a quick peek at a shrimp before he disappeared into the rock, it looked like a pistol to me, but there could be more than one too. I've read that if the clicks are in ones and twos then it's probably a pistol, if there are many clicks in succession it's probably a mantis. THe pistol shrimp actually makes the noises itself, while the clicks from a mantis come from the mantis hitting something (shells, rocks etc). My clicks are in ones and twos and are very consistent in tone which makes me think it's a pistol. Hope this helps!

 

[roka64]

I think that trick works with crabs

Now that you said that, I believe you are right!

I've read that if the clicks are in ones and twos then it's probably a pistol

Hmmm, that is interesting. I heard clicking the other night. It was about 4 or 5 real quick ones, but I think it was one of my snail's shells. I haven't heard it since.

 

[Wood_Dog]

I think that, as Newfound said, Pistols make the noise by themselves...whereas a mantis makes the noise by hitting something...when it is trying to eat it. So if you hear a fast flurry of clicks then nothing for a while it would be safe to assume you have a mantis. Thats how it was for me..then I got a visual,took a pic and posted it here. Everyone agreed I had a really nice mantis ( if you're into that sort of thing ) and even offered to take it. I also noticed a very rapid decline in numbers of snails etc. Here one day, gone the next.

 

[karlseith]

The clicks come in ones and twos randomly. I tried using a flashlight last night but only scared the pants off my fish, Im working on getting a red lensed light. After reading your posts and this website http://saltaquarium.about.com/gi/dy...http://www.blueboard.com/mantis/pest/tell.htm Im pretty sure it's not a mantis. If I were to add a watchman goby, and the noise maker was a pistol shrimp, what are my odds of them pairing up?

 

[FishFrik]

I've read that if the clicks are in ones and twos then it's probably a pistol

Perfect way to ID the shrimp