pistol shrimp...to keep or to keep.. need help asap

[lunker101]

I brought home a tiger pistol shrimp but after reading in some places that they will kill off a significant amount of hermits and snails, i am having second thoughts. Do pistols really do alot of damage to the other inverts in a tank? Its floating in its bag right now and im not sure if i want to add him to the display or just keep it in the sump and bring it back to the store. Thanks

 

[Amphiprion]

They can (and do) catch the occasional snail and/or hermit crab, but as long as they are fed (small meaty foods), any residual damage should be minimal. Fascinating creatures, btw.

 

[So Cal shaggy]

you should be fine I have always kept pistol shrimp in my reef tanks never had problems with them just drop a small piece of food into the tank after lights out and they should find it.

 

[str8clownr]

i ahve a tiger pistol in my tank and hes paired up with a OSG. i havent really seen any dead hermits, not that i keep track. great addition to any reef, well worth the occasional hermit. (they kill the snails). very entertaining to watch him build his home and move things around. throw him in the tank

 

[Brandon's Reef]

Mine never did any damage.

 

[Anemone]

No problem with hermits or snails here either. I've watched one repeatedly try to use a hermit's shell to shore up its tunnel. Hermit wasn't particularly impressed, and the pistol seemed to have trouble figuring out why its building materials kept crawling away, but there was no indication that the hermit might have been considered food.

FWIW,
Kevin

 

[SDguy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7074240#post7074240 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Anemone
No problem with hermits or snails here either. I've watched one repeatedly try to use a hermit's shell to shore up its tunnel. Hermit wasn't particularly impressed, and the pistol seemed to have trouble figuring out why its building materials kept crawling away, but there was no indication that the hermit might have been considered food.

FWIW,
Kevin

I had the EXACT thing happen. Pretty funny. One thing to also be aware of, they move TONS of sand. Make sure your rock is supported well.