Unknown assassin...missing fish!

[Isozephyr]

Their is something in my tank that makes only on occassion a loud clicking noise, I never see it, but I definitely hear it.

I within the last month have added three seperate medium specimens at different times which were a Royal Gramma, Firefish, and a Maroon Clown, all of which decidedly go hide behind some live rock which is the corner I hear the clicking sound. These were added when the lights were out to ease acclimation, except for the Clown which I added last night. He went to hide in the same corner behind the live rock and literally never came out, as I monitored I saw none of the current tankmates bother it in the least and I have never seen a floating carcass although their are also a couple medium sized brittle stars that make that area their home also. Anyway, I am almost 100% positive something is killing them and it is not the other fish. Could it be a Mantis Shrimp? What woulkd be the best way to flush them out of the live rock?

[curtis_rachel]

could be a mantis shrimp. What kind of brittle stars? I've read that the green ones can and will enjoy an easily caught fish.

[Reefland]

Hi Isozephyr,

It sounds like a Mantis to me. The best way to get rid of it is to locate the rock it is in/under and remove it. If it is in the rock dip it in freshwater and it should run out.

[BubbaWPB]

Be careful! I wouldn't put my hands anywhere near a mantis shrimp!

[The R/C Man]

If you don't want to disturb the live rock or put your fingers in there, you can always use a trap to catch them. There are some available from online suppliers or you can build your own.

[Something Fishy]

IF you find out it is a mantis which i does sound exactly to be one, Once you catch it can you email me and let me know if your going to get rid of it we will pay for shipping... WE WANT ONE REALLLL BADDDD..

[Reefland]

They can make for a nice species tank.

[BubbaWPB]

They can make for a nice species tank.

"Species tank" ... a good choice of words. There is a movie called "Species". In the movie, a half-alien half-human woman went around acting like a mantis shrimp..... maybe the alien DNA was from a mantis shrimp after all.

[bguile]

Are there any types of food that would lure a mantis shrimp into a trap? I have had a couple fish go missing without a trace myself, even after recently rescaping the tank. I have lost one firefish and a royal gramma. I have found parts of hermit crabs and the like around the tank after the reorganization but no fish. I had a pistol shrimp in the display but decided to move him to my refugium after I got tired of him digging up my display. He used to snap a lot which actually turned into quite a pop as he got larger. Now that I've moved him, I'm still hearing little "clicking" noises and I can't tell if its coming from the display or the sump. Could it be a mantis or are pistol shrimps able to reproduce without a mate??? Or maybe it's the pistol snapping from the sump since sound travels much farther underwater? Any thoughts?

[vtec si]

Just about anything meaty. Piece of shrimp or scallop should work.