Pistol Shrimp question (also posted in reef discussion

[ahullsb]

I bought one that was only around 1/2 inch a month or so ago. When I went to bed that night, I noticed my cleaner shrimp was picking apart what appeared to be my pistol shrimp. But I guess it is possible that it was molting the same time I acquired it. I have never seen it since. How long should I wait before determining that it did in fact die, and isn't just hiding? I want have one pair with my watchman goby, and am waiting to find one that is much larger. Oh and I know my cleaner didn't kill it, I was wondering if my velvet wrasse got it because it was nipping at the bag while I was acclimating it...

 

[monicaswizzle]

In my experience, Pistol Shrimp are pretty rarely seen. I have one in my tank, but I never see it. I do ocassionally see evidence of its digging, so I am sure it is still there, but it never comes out in the open. Good luck figuring out if you still have one!

 

["Umm fish?"]

Well, I hear mine a lot....

 

[monicaswizzle]

Andy--Any idea what makes your's make noise? When they bagged mine at the LFS and when I first put it into the tank it "fired off a few shots", so I know it can, but it doesn't make any noise on a regular basis. If the noise is a form of predator defense, maybe mine just feels really safe, which, since he is buried so deep I can never see him, and nothing else in my tank digs, he probably is.

 

[jaymz101]

They use the noise to stun prey (hence the name pistol shrimp) It actually superheats the water when it snaps and the sound is a mini sonic boom that it fires at prey stunning or killing them outright. Listen for it. if you dont hear snaps or clicks, he might be gone. Usually the cleaner shrimp/snapping shrimp battle goes in favor of the guy with the gun.

 

["Umm fish?"]

What jaymz101 said.

 

[monicaswizzle]

Hmmm--I am sure that something has been digging in the sand under my liverock. The pistol shrimp is the only thing that I deliberately put into the tank that would dig. I haven't heard the shot since I put it into the tank. For about three days it was visable on rare occassions through a lattice of rock. Then it moved to a part of the tank that has no holes in the rock and I haven't seen it since. But it (or something) still digs on that end of the tank. It is my understanding that it will scavange for food, including the sinking foods that I feed my other shrimp. If it is getting enough "dead" food to eat, would it still be expected to fire away? Maybe his "pistol" is "jammed"?

 

[Eklikewhoa]

I rarely hear mine snapping but do see the pits it digs and since I put my randalls pistol in I might have seen it twice....but both times the yashia goby brought it out to play.

 

[jaymz101]

I would say that its still alive and well. They will scavenge food if there isnt enough live prey. Most species of Alpheus are fairly noisy though. Ever listened underwater in a rocky area. They're all you hear except for the occasional catfish or drum grunt.

 

[darrick001]

I must be lucky, I see mine every day. I have a pair with a Randal goby. The shrimp seem to like areas with little flow. I set my 180 up so that the back right corner has much less flow and, they seem to like that spot. They move around, but always come back too that spot. Whenever I feed the tank they come out to get a bite under Mr. Randal's watchful eyes. Oh, and I only hear mine snap when one of my serpent stars wanders too close but, Thanks for the info on the snapping jaymz101

 

[yardboy]

I not only see mine, I've contracted for him to build me an underwater habitat. Here he is doing the foundation prep work.

 

[Sk8r]

Neat sequence.

I have no trouble spotting my tiger pistol, who partners with my YWG. But my candy cane shrimp has disappeared, and I'm wondering if the tiger did for it.