a question on pistol shrimps

[whistler]

Hello,

I recently received a 55gal package from TBS and found a pistol shrimp came along for the ride. I've read some good things and bad things about pistols (not mantises (sp?)). Does anyone have an opinion on this? I've heard that they may eat some of my other inverts. Thanks!

 

[PRC]

Somewhere there's another thread out here on exactly this topic.
Anyway, IME I've found pistol shrimp to be pretty harmless, they're incredibly timid. Although recently I've seen some pretty bizarre behaviour when I feed. One of my pistols will poke out of it's hole (they almost never come out all the way) and grab a hermit and drag it back into the hole. I'm pretty sure it's not eating them, I don't think it could if it wanted to, but I'm not really sure what it's doing.