loud clicking noise when lights out!!!

Im gonna have to say that it is most likely a Pistol/Snapping Shrimp....

They aren't all bad but they make one heck of a racket when the lights go down..

 

I don't know about it being a mantis shrimp that is killing your fish. I would highly doubt a hitchhiker mantis shrimp would be killing fish if there are still snails and crabs in the tank. Fish are hard for a smashing mantis to catch. Although they are very fast swimmers in my experience they are not precise enough to catch them. Fish can change directions a lot quicker than a mantis. Also the most common mantis hitch hikers are diurnal.

Also a spearer type mantis is rolled out because only youths live in rock cavities and they would be too small to be catching chromis.

I'm not saying it isn't a mantis that is killing your fish, I am just saying it doesn't seem likely to me. Try to get a look at the sucker.

 

on the contrary, they will kill ornamental shrimp for fun. I banished mine to the sump when I finally realized he was a shrimp murderer. Killed a cleaner and 2 peppermints. I know it was him because i caught him killing the last peppermint and the funny thing is he only ate a tiny bit, thats why I say they kill for fun.

 

Hi sparky, maybe you did miss it. He said his is "in the sump" and clicks when the sump light comes on, the other cat says he hears it (in the display I take it) and hears it when the lights go off. No big deal, I still think it may just be the fixture.

 

Thanks. I did read that wrong!

 

If it snaps when the light go out and it is not the light then it is most likely a Snapping Shrimp. They will eat other shrimp, nudibranch, snails, hermits, cucumbers, ANYTHING THEY WANT!

As for finding the little noise maker good luck. They are very tricky and usually live at the very BOTTOM under everythng you probally don't want to move.

 

Sorry, but I completely disagree. I had a peacock (smasher) for about 9 months, and regardless of how many crabs/snails I had, she would always kill any fish that were in there. I went through a scooter blenny and 3 damsels to learn that, yes, a smasher can and will kill fish, whether for food or fun.

 

Also, FWIW, I never heard my mantis hit the rocks during the day, she would always go around during lights out hitting rocks and what-not trying to scare prey out of the rocks.

 

Yea sorry for the miscommunication friend I DO agree with he smasher (I have had a few)
They will eat whatever they want!!! As for it being a smasher I couldn't be sure, I just haven't had any in my tanks that were very vocal so to say....

They have clicked before but not a continuous thing like the pistol shrimp I have owned

 

I had a crazy aiptasia that lived in this huge cave in my live rock... it ate like 3 of my fish... I saw my little YT damsel in its belly one day... could be really anything...

That aiptasia ate a YT damsel, two neon gobies, and a firefish... I know it was the aiptasia because the addition of two robust peppermint shrimp and since then nothing has mysteriously disappeared to date.

I think I would crap gold bricks if I flushed a mantis out of my live rock!!! Those SOB's are terrifying.