Pistol Shrimp Questions

[Idyfohu]

A few questions regarding Pistol Shrimp:

#1: How long would you recommend acclimating a Pistol Shrimp? I plan on doing so via drip method.

#2: For obvious reasons, I'd like the shrimp (and future shrimp goby) to have their cave or burrow near the front of the tank in full-view. Will pre-making a cave/burrow and HOPE that the shrimp finds it do any good?

#3: At my LFS there are (2) Pistol Shrimp. How should I determine which to pick? The bigger of the two...or?

#4: Will a Pistol Shrimp be compatible with a Skunk Cleaner Shrimp?

Thanks, I can't wait to pick him up.

 

[garvin90]

Re: Pistol Shrimp Questions

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8303257#post8303257 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Idyfohu
A few questions regarding Pistol Shrimp:

#1: How long would you recommend acclimating a Pistol Shrimp? I plan on doing so via drip method.

1 hour is fine

#2: For obvious reasons, I'd like the shrimp (and future shrimp goby) to have their cave or burrow near the front of the tank in full-view. Will pre-making a cave/burrow and HOPE that the shrimp finds it do any good?

Not really. You can try but unless you already have said goby with a premade home and then drop the shrimp into it, it will more than likely find its own place taking your goby with it.

#3: At my LFS there are (2) Pistol Shrimp. How should I determine which to pick? The bigger of the two...or?

That depends on how big the pistol is compared to the goby. If it cant be swallowed, then its the right size.

#4: Will a Pistol Shrimp be compatible with a Skunk Cleaner Shrimp?

As long as the cleaner doesnt make it his business to be near the pistol. They dont have that stun claw for show and ive lost more shrimps to my pistol than any other reason.

 

[Idyfohu]

Quick question...how tolerant are Pistol Shrimp of Nitrates?

 

[Randall_James]

A pre-made burrow is fine for the initial stages, they are going to rearrange the substrate continuously. A new shrimp is going to just burrow into the substrate where ever they can to start out. Over the first evening, they will find a hollow or make one.

Mine make new entrances/exits on a daily basis.

Make DOUBLE sure that the rock base is secure WITHOUT SUBSTRATE...

They will topple poorly constructed aquascapes by digging out the substrate...

 

[Idyfohu]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8306154#post8306154 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Randall_James
A pre-made burrow is fine for the initial stages, they are going to rearrange the substrate continuously. A new shrimp is going to just burrow into the substrate where ever they can to start out. Over the first evening, they will find a hollow or make one.

Mine make new entrances/exits on a daily basis.

Make DOUBLE sure that the rock base is secure WITHOUT SUBSTRATE...

They will topple poorly constructed aquascapes by digging out the substrate...

I will make sure that everything is secure. The last surprise I want is a broken tank fomr LR hitting the walls.

From reading, shrimp are very intolerant of High Nitrates. What exactly would "High Nitrate" levels be?

Other than water changes, what else can I do to rid my tank of Nitrates?

 

[Randall_James]

Live rock consumes nitrates (well actually converts to nitrogen gas) Not over feeding, water changes, lots of rock, remote DSB are all fixes. Excessive is relative to what is in tank.

A fish only tank can run at 200ppm with little ill effect. In a reef tank? I would say .020 or less.

I keep mine at undetectable

 

[atvdave]

Re: Pistol Shrimp Questions

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8303257#post8303257 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Idyfohu

#4: Will a Pistol Shrimp be compatible with a Skunk Cleaner Shrimp?

Thanks, I can't wait to pick him up.

I have 2 skunk, 1 peppermint, and 1 pistol. They all get along.

From time to time the skunk & peppermint will kinda chase each other.

 

[Frankysreef]

The pistol will decimate your snail population, and you'll never see them except for an occasional fluff of sand.

 

[Idyfohu]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8306851#post8306851 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Randall_James
Live rock consumes nitrates (well actually converts to nitrogen gas) Not over feeding, water changes, lots of rock, remote DSB are all fixes. Excessive is relative to what is in tank.

A fish only tank can run at 200ppm with little ill effect. In a reef tank? I would say .020 or less.

I keep mine at undetectable

I did a bunch of reading and I'd like to add some more sand and have a sand bed of at least 3", maybe 4"; it's currently 2".

In addition, I'm removing the bioballs in the sump and converting the wet/dry trickle filter in the back into a refugium (this is built-in to the back of the tank) and will be adding a PC light and do reverse lighting at night with some LR, LS, and Macroalgae. I think this should all but eliminate the Nitrates...what do you think?

 

[Randall_James]

sounds like a plan to me, just do things slowly...

add the sand 1/2 inch at a time and maybe a week or so apart

Remove bioballs a few at a time every couple days

This allows the bacteria to recover at a steady rate and should allow the live stuff in your sand to work its way to the top in stages instead of just burying in under a couple inches of substrate

 

[Idyfohu]

Randall-

Thanks for all of your help!

One last question that I've heard conflicting info about...

Do corals add a bioload to our tanks?

I've added a lot of corals (softies and shrooms) in the last week and half...do you think this could've contributed to my high nitrates?

 

[Randall_James]

Well that is up for debate but IMO, they do add bioload, nothing like a fish however. My skimmers produce just fine with only coral in the tank but at a much lower rate. (Maybe 1/5?)

But the only thing that I know to cause nitrate is food or fish waste. I suppose that as corals expel their own waste, nitrates are possible. I have just never had any issues with nitrates myself (I do 25% water changes weekly minimum)

I do not think the time frame coincides with coral additions myself. 1 week is really not enough time to generate a nitrate problem from scratch. Perhaps if something died, yes but that would only be temporary

 

[Idyfohu]

So they are on par with Shrimps then? That's good to know that they don't add much load, but then again it doesn't explain the rise in Nitrates.

Oh yah, one suspect that I failed to mention *lightbulb* is that I am using a "Master Test Kit" from Aquarium Pharm., which most likely isn't 90% accurate, if that. I plan on taking my water to a LFS to get tested to be sure, but the fact that the Nitrates increased according to this test should mean something even if the number is wrong.

If you're up for one more task to tackle...I have a few skimmer questions/problems with my current in-sump filter. LMK if you don't mind me bugging you some more.

 

[Randall_James]

LOL even if I do not answer, someone will this place is a wealth of experience.

The test kit you are using is ok as long as it is fresh, they are at least pretty easy to read. I do prefer Salifert tests however as they seem a lot more accurate.

Nitrates going up can only indicate some type of bio matter in the water. Decaying food, dead snail, dead fish or anything else that could lead to ammonia rise. If this number stays up, then you need to look at corrections. I have seen it go up and then go back to zero in short order. If you are worried about it, start on some water changes. (they fix a lot of issues)

So tell everyone about your skimmer setup (images are really nice here)

 

[Idyfohu]

Here's a link to my skimmer thread:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=947162