Help ID Pistol Shrimp
- Thread starter Shark888
- Start date
Crooked Reef
Active member
Not a pistol shrimp. Commonly called the purple reef lobster. Enoplometopus debelius is the Latin name.
Shark888
New member
I got today this Pistol Shrimp (I hope it is lol) and its now in my QT, can someone tell me which kind it is, Im guessing its a tiger pistol shrimp ??
It looks huge, his body approx 2.5 inches and in all with claw 4 inches. By the way do you think my hermit crabs and skunk shrimp will be in danger once added to DT ?
It looks huge, his body approx 2.5 inches and in all with claw 4 inches. By the way do you think my hermit crabs and skunk shrimp will be in danger once added to DT ?
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mndfreeze
Invert Sexy Time!
I'm pretty sure that is NOT a tiger pistol shrimp. Tiger pistols have patterns on them similar to an actual tiger, hence the name.
https://www.reeflifeaquariums.com/v/vspfiles/photos/Tiger-Pistol-Shrimp-2.jpg
There are a lot of predatory pistol shrimp. You really should research a species BEFORE you buy it. There is even a nature documentary (either blue planet or planet earth, I dont remember which now) that shows some pistol shrimp killing a cleaner shimp.
https://www.reeflifeaquariums.com/v/vspfiles/photos/Tiger-Pistol-Shrimp-2.jpg
There are a lot of predatory pistol shrimp. You really should research a species BEFORE you buy it. There is even a nature documentary (either blue planet or planet earth, I dont remember which now) that shows some pistol shrimp killing a cleaner shimp.
Crooked Reef
Active member
Put a hermit in qt with the shrimp. See if it survives. Hermits kill each other constantly so once added to the display tank you may never know if the shrimp is killing them or they are killing each other.
I also agree that doesn’t look like any tiger pistol shrimp I have ever seen. Tiger pistol shrimp is a name given by hobbyists and stores for easy recognition because Latin names can be tough to memorize. The ones over in America that are referred to tiger pistol shrimp only get to a maximum size of 1.5-2 inches without antenna. If yours has a body of 2.5 inches and 4 inches with the claw, it’s not the same species, not even a color morph. In China though that species may very well be commonly referred to as a tiger pistol.
I also agree that doesn’t look like any tiger pistol shrimp I have ever seen. Tiger pistol shrimp is a name given by hobbyists and stores for easy recognition because Latin names can be tough to memorize. The ones over in America that are referred to tiger pistol shrimp only get to a maximum size of 1.5-2 inches without antenna. If yours has a body of 2.5 inches and 4 inches with the claw, it’s not the same species, not even a color morph. In China though that species may very well be commonly referred to as a tiger pistol.
Crooked Reef
Active member
Probably a stretch, but any idea where is was collected from? It’s definitely an Alpheus species but I can’t find the color pattern anywhere. Some crustaceans can change colors when they molt to blend in with their surroundings, go from red to green for example. Knowing where it was collected may help narrow it down.
Shark888
New member
I have research a lot before buy it, but there are not a lot info about this color one especially. Even on this forum I got no answers and finally you can say that there is only one online seller selling this pistol in China. I searched a lot and I really want one pistol to pair with a Goby.
Yes, good idea I will try one of my evil hermit. :blown:
I will ask tomorrow the seller about where it was collected. I am not sure but I found something online about the Smooth snapping pistol shrimp, it looks very similar with what I have. Any info about it ?
By the way I have added from my DT sump a sponge filter seeded of beneficial bacteria with some ampiphod, copepods on it and it has started to shoot at them.
