Clicking sounds but might be a crab?

[1979fishgeek]

I have had a clicking sound in my tank since it was originally set up. Searched/baited and hunted for a pistol or mantis but never seen a thing. Also had no clean up crew go missing or even my smallest fish, no coral damaged either.

I do have a unidentified crab, which lives in the vicinity of where the clicking comes from, sounds like a glass thermometer tapping on the glass and can be heard from across the room. It clicks day and night and particularly when I stand near the tank.

Do crabs making clicking sounds with their claws, this is his moult, thought it might be a acro crab but he never comes out his cave, just pokes a claw through a tiny hole just picking at the algae detritus on rocks.

Could it be the clicker....driving me nuts nots being able to find the culprit and thought only pistol and mantis make the noise?

 

[seaweed88]

My guess would be a Pistol Shrimp.

 

[Robink]

+1 on the pistol shrimp. I have one. Doesn't bother anyone. Get him a goby.

 

[1979fishgeek]

That's my first guess, but never been able to see it or bait it and tried various bottle/glass traps.

I hate a mystery! lol

 

[1979fishgeek]

+1 on the pistol shrimp. I have one. Doesn't bother anyone. Get him a goby.

I got a pink spot goby hoping if there was a pistol they would pair up but so far nope.

 

[Robink]

I think it's specific goby's that pair up. I have a Randall goby. You can google which one's will pair up with him.

 

[seaweed88]

Robink is correct get him a Goby. The shrimp will sit with one of his antennae touching the goby. The goby will alert the shrimp when danger is close.

 

[Reefhabit]

I had the same thing going on in one of my tanks and it turned out to be a pistol shrimp hitchhiker that came in with some live rock. I would mostly hear it when I clean the fish tank. The shrimp was trying to drive the hiding fish away from its den.

 

[1979fishgeek]

Can I keep multiple Goby's with my Pink spot? I like yellow watchman goby and going to research the Randall. It's a 6ftx2ftx2ft set up with 6ft long sump, although a section of that is separate for future breeding projects.