Am I sad?

[jasonc]

Well... for the past couple of weeks I have been awaken many times by loud clicks coming from the tank - much like someone snapping their fingers or striking a wood block - very sharp and distinct. Usually only in ones or threes - sometimes one every so often, but very far apart.

So... my guess is I have a small smasher. I've always been very diligent about dealing with my live rock so I'm assuming it came in tiny and is now coming of age.

Now as for other clues, I don't have that many. No missing wild-life that I can tell - perhaps a snail, but who's counting snails? No shell-shards or similar debris. I do occasionally find the odd, small bi-valve shell split open, but that's really about it. I've been toying with the idea that it is so small, that it comes out at night - thumps on a large snail and nothing happens - so dejected, it returns to its lair thinking, "I'll be back, and I've got your number!"

So... if it is small, I've got a little time as I see it. I've got four Tridacnids sitting around, a couple of fish that weren't exactly cheap, and a harlequin shrimp which is a real prize [deep blue]. This is what I am concerned about. I would almost rather drop snails in every so often for food, then dissasemble the tank and hunt this puppy down - again I think very hard due to its size.

Am I smoking crack and deluding myself - should I be preparing for tank dissasembly?

Cheers.

[Gonodactylus]

There are very few smashing stomatopods that are active at night. The only one that I can think of that might come along in live rock is Echinoscquilla and they are so secretive that you would probably never see them out and about. Other gonodactylid smashers would be heard most often early in the morning and just before lights out, although they will feed and modify their cavities during the day. If the tank is not on a regular photoperiod and has ordinary room lighting during the evening, activity might extend until you turn off the lights. Also, unless the animal is a couple of inches long, you are not likely to hear LOUD snapping sounds.

More like, you have one or more snapping shrimps. They can make a very loud pop even when an inch long and many species stay hidden inside cavities and almost never appear. They will probably not bother the Hymenocera picta, but could if there were a direct encounter. If it were me, I'd leave the tank alone.

Roy

[msjn771]

If you catch him and want to get rid of him feel free to email me at msjn771@cs.com