A suprise hitch hiker!

[Diminished]

Hello all. New to the site!

Just wondered if someone here might be able to advise on a surprise addition to my tank.

So, for some background on me. I've wanted a marine reef tank for about as long as I can remember. Recently my partner indulged this particular want for my birthday.

Setting up my tank in what I can only assume is fairly typical 'Newb' fashion.

Anyway I finally filled my tank today with RO water. I have sand in already. Got the filter on today and decided to spend a bit of cash on some ready cured live rock from my local aquarium stockist. It sat in a box slighly damp for about 6 hours before it went in the tank.

Well imagine my suprise when out of the corner of my eye, I spot a shrimp running around the edge of the inside of my tank!!

Its about 2 inches long and has one pincer much larger than the other - I assume its a pistol shrimp.

He disappeared before I could grab my net to try to catch him.

Now, the heater is on but will take take time to reach a good temp. Im working on the salt level but it's nowhere near the right level for adding any livestock.

Honestly I've no idea what to do with him. If he survives the night ill take him back to where he came from.

Will he survive the night? Is there anything I can do for him?

Thanks.

 

[CrazeUK]

Hey.
Do you have a pic of it?
If it's disappeared, try clumping up some decent meaty food, put it at the front of the tank or inside a small bottle next to where you saw it last.

Keep the tank lights off, and use a red light to watch it.

When it sniffs out the food, it will climb in. Take it out and take a pic.

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[Diminished]

Hi Craze

Attached is a pic I got earlier when he first appeared!

Thanks

 

[CrazeUK]

Hi Craze



Attached is a pic I got earlier when he first appeared!



Thanks

Looks like a ghost shrimp but with a missing claw?

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[Diminished]

It has two claws, ones much larger than the other.

 

[TheAngelfish]

Looks like a pistol to me, don't know what kind but must be one thats right handed

 

[Diminished]

Hi Angel

I have temporarily christened him Pistol Pete.

Yes. The chap at the store agrees it's probably a Pistol Shrimp.

I haven't yet seen him today but looks like he was digging around a bit overnight.

Weve made a trap baited with some cat food to try and get it out. If this fails does anyone have any other methods of extracting him? I understand they make themselves quite at home in holes in the rock.

Thanks.

 

[Diminished]

The trap

 

[CrazeUK]

The trap

You need to keep the top of the bottle on.
They are super quick. By the time you get your hand in, it will have darted

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[Diminished]

The bottle top is inverted inside the rest of the bottle so he would have to climb out. This works in the wild apparently.

 

[Michael Hoaster]

Yes, the old DIY bottle trap is very effective. Works for fish too.

 

[Sk8r]

Good luck catching him. He could make a nice living in your sump.

 

[Diminished]

Pistol Pete has been apprehended!

Can anyone confirm that he is a Pistol Shrimp?

 

[Michael Hoaster]

Confirmed.

 

[Diminished]

Thanks.

He will be going back to where he came from tomorrow!

 

[jeremy007]

Good riddance to him

 

[laverda]

Why do you want to get rid of it? They are great to pair up with a goby. I would definitely keep it myself. If you really don’t want it sell it.