Bug Banter or Fish Food?

[MrAntigone]

I just moved onto a project boat that has a lot of rotten wood and may have sunk at some point. I got the living area cleaned up well enough, but the dark corners of the boat are going to take a lot of work. Anyway, I saw two cockroaches my first night on the boat. My new buddies. So I know they are on the boat or are visiting from other boats or both.

But later in the evening and throughout the night, I began hearing a clicking noise, like the sound you make by picking your fingernails together. My question is whether this sound is likely to be the cockroaches communicating about where the best glue is in the bilge, or whether it may be sheepshead feasting on the barnacles on the hull.

My concern is that there was a lot of it. I mean these clicks were coming from everywhere and lasting into the early morning as the sun rose. I never saw a roach my second night on the boat, but I read on another thread that it could be roaches. If it is, I got more than two new buddies. I got myself a little roach farm. So I'm hoping it's sheepshead. :/

Does anyone here have any experience/firsthand knowledge in this regard?

[skipmac]

You don't mention where you are docked but if in salt water what you are hearing is critters in the water, a variety of shrimp if I recall. Some people describe the sound as crackling or almost like static on the radio. Very constant.

As far as I know, cockroaches don't make that much noise except perhaps the Madagascar hissing cockroach but they don'e click or pop unless you step on them.

[MrAntigone]

It's docked in saltwater. Thanks for the info!

[skipmac]

One caution, depending on exactly where your marina's located it could be polyester mites. These are salt water bugs that are related to Teredo worms that eat wood but instead, polyester mites eat fiberglass.

I think you need dive under the boat tonight when you hear the sound again to inspect for mites.

[skipmac]

Just remembered that you mention the boat had a lot of rotten wood. Is the hull glass or wood? If a wood hull you're safe from polyester mites but you better look out for Teredo worms.