pistol shrimp loud

[hyrumbradshaw]

Ok people say pistol shrimp have a "loud" snapping sound. How loud is loud? I work around jet engines all day, they are loud, I have to wear earplugs. Am I going to have to wear earplugs in my house? How far away can you hear these things and how loud are they really?

 

[philter4]

They aren't that loud, but I have heard them from another room, and even been woken up at night once or twice.

 

[hyrumbradshaw]

how far is your tank from your sleeping quarters?

 

[buddythelion]

it isn't too loud, just imagine two marbles hitting each other. that's kind of what they sound like.

 

[AquariaOCD]

Mine always sounds like a small piece of rock falling inside the tank and bumping the glass.

 

[philter4]

My tank is right beside the bed, on my side. It was more the "shock" of the noise in the silence then the actual intensity of the sound.

 

[storrisch]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11427595#post11427595 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by buddythelion
it isn't too loud, just imagine two marbles hitting each other. that's kind of what they sound like.

That is the best description of the sound they make.

 

[kawicivic]

two marbles is the best description i have heard... I as going to say like snapping your fingers but not quite that loud. I can readily hear my pistol about 10 feet away from the aquarium while watching tv but it doesnt bother me too much.

 

[hyrumbradshaw]

why do they make that noise? Is it to scare predators away or what?

 

[philter4]

It is a combination, they do it to avoid being eaten and they do it to stun their prey.

 

[NanoReefWanabe]

i think mine does it out of spite...

 

[LeslieH]

Snapping and the water jets it sets off are also a means of communication between individuals of the same species.

 

[650-IS350]

Its funny when you have a bunch of them in a tank. Sometimes when they're communicating, sounds like a tiny war zone. Like a bag of marbles in a bag.

 

[NanoReefWanabe]

like a bag of marbles in a bag eh?


hehehe...

 

[650-IS350]

sorry, it was a long day at work.. ( hamster was getting tired spinning the wheel at that moment ).

 

[buddythelion]

can you keep more then one in a tank? cuz that would be so cool to dedicate a tank just to pistol shrimps, lol. would be cool but i don't think they can be kept together in a nano or something...

 

[650-IS350]

I still have a hand full of them, originally when I first got my 100lbs of TBS live rock, I counted roughly a dozen or so. Small and big ( 1 1/2" ) roughly.

 

[buddythelion]

Oh sweet! Thanks for the information.