pistol shrimp

[docklink]

After a year and a half, I finally got a photo of one of the pistol shrimp in my tank. I was up early and took a look at the tank while the room was still dark. The photo was the best of a series I took "blind" (the moon lights were my only lighting for focusing; I used the flash for the photo). This little guy has grown all the way up to 3/4" now

 

[kp1917]

Doc,

I have had my tank up for about the same getting close to two years. I have moved my tank to my new house a year ago and then moved it into a new tank a few months ago. Tank is doing better than ever but after getting rid of hitchhiker mantas and gorillas, I still have a pistol in there that I have never seen. I hear two clicks every once in a while. Shouldn't I have seen it by now? I have a 50 gallon package in a 65 gallon tank..

 

[docklink]

Doc,

I have had my tank up for about the same getting close to two years. I have moved my tank to my new house a year ago and then moved it into a new tank a few months ago. Tank is doing better than ever but after getting rid of hitchhiker mantas and gorillas, I still have a pistol in there that I have never seen. I hear two clicks every once in a while. Shouldn't I have seen it by now? I have a 50 gallon package in a 65 gallon tank..

I guess it depends on how diligently you look and where they tend to hang out. I've only ever seen them well after lights out, usually way back in some cranny. Also, they run and hide if you shine normal spectrum light on them. I use a red LED flashlight when I'm looking in the tank after lights out. (I also discovered a couple of small gorilla crabs, 1/2" across, that I didn't know I still had).

 

[kp1917]

Would you say that the "two clicks" then nothing is a pistol? Also, do they eat hermits or something/anything else. I can't seem to keep crabs very long before the numbers start dwindling.