[CaptainK]

Hi Everyone,
I have a clownfish and from what I have read they can make audible "clicking" noises. But lately I am beginning to wonder exactly how loud they can be.
Why am I asking, you ask?
Well usually when my tank lights are out and only occasionally when they are on I can hear some pretty loud clicks coming from my tank.
So I am wondering if I have one heck of a loud fish, or there is something else.........I do have an Emerald Green Crab and some hermits, one hermit is now the size of a half dollar coin.

Thanks,
CaptK

[Sker]

Captain K, it is more likely a mantis or pistol shrimp. I do not believe that the inhabitants you listed would make a loud clicking noise. Have you tried setting any traps yet??

[Iron Crab]

Clownfish do make a clicking and grunt sounds but I don't know how loud.
Could be a type of mantis shrimp (?). Some can break the shell of a clam by whacking on them and some have claws that they can shoot out with great speed to spear or slice fish. To be safe I would look for a hitchhiker shrimp before it causes damage.
I would say no on the hermits and other crabs but I would watch the large hermit. I just removed one that was chewing the polyps of a LPS.

[SomeHairyOldGuy]

If it is REALLY LOUD. Like you can hear it in another room. If you possitively only hear it at night. My guess it is a Pistol Shrimp. Be looking for a shell in the mornings. Pistol Shrimp will "shed" their shells seems like ever month or two. At least mine does.
SHOG

[CaptainK]

Thanks All,
I guess I better start setting some traps.
Are there any D.I.Y sites out there to make these traps?

Thanks,
CaptK

[SomeHairyOldGuy]

You can get a X-terminator trap from several of the on-line stores for like 15 bucks. I have caught both mantis and pistol shirmp with mine. If you catch the pistol shrimp put it back in the tank. These guys are good for it. I have heard of people taking little mason jars and putting a piece of salad shrimp in the bottom then putting the jar in the tank upright between some LR and if the mantis goes in there to get it reach in there and put the lid on and pull it out. Supposably(<-spell) it is hard for the mantis it get up out of the jar cause the glass is slippery. Hope this helps.
SHOG

[the_blue_tuna]

Here is a fish trap , very nice one , but the principles apply to shrimp as well. You can do the same thing with an empty 2liter soda bottle using this idea. HTH.

http://www.geocities.com/hiromi_kaze/diy.html

[icemark]

You may also want to look for a couple of different crabs, that will burrow into the rock.

Mantis generally have mulitple clicks, quickly following each other.

Pistols generally have 1 or two clicks.

Rock Crabs will only have one click at a time.

[CaptainK]

I definitely have multiple clicks.
And whatever it is that is making the noise I swear it is playing games with me. Because this morning I was checking out my tank, (like we all do first thing when we get up) and I had my face right in front of the glass and something started making those loud tapping noises while I was right there.

-CaptK

[stang69]

He was saying Niener Niener ya cant catch me hehehhe


Jeff

[SomeHairyOldGuy]

LOL stang! Sad things is its proly true. I had to take out almost all my LR to catch a mantis one time. Those little booger are smart!
SHOG