I've been reading several posts and it seems some people have had problems with pistols killing fish. Some mention killing firefish and damaging chromis. I was wanting to have a pistol and yellow watchman goby in my 125. Is this type of behavior from a pistol common? Is this behavior less likely when paired with a goby? Also, I will have a 2" sand bed and know these guys move a lot of sand. Does anyone find them moving a substantial amount of sand to be annoying? Thanks
Pistols Killing Fish
- Thread starter gcgrad
- Start date
I was probably the OP on that thread, and yes, I have had it happen: losses: 3 firefish, one YWG (its specific partner), and a wounded chromis. Symptoms: in all cases, matchhead sized bloody red patch: the chromis survived, and the second partner YWG survived after I removed that fellow. It was a large tiger pistol, the species rercommended for the YWG. I am suspicious in the disappearance of a high-fin redstripe goby, in the same period.
The sand-moving involves about an 8" swath at a time, but they do move around and change burrows week to week. Fascinating creatures, but it proved problematic for me. I was quite fond of that YWG.
The sand-moving involves about an 8" swath at a time, but they do move around and change burrows week to week. Fascinating creatures, but it proved problematic for me. I was quite fond of that YWG.
I have a hitchhiker something...I believe that it is a pistol, though I have never seen it. It has killed many snails and hermits(with holes in shells, but not smashed to pieces) I lost 3 gobys a sea hare and yellow coris wrasse to it. Are there any ways to lure a pistol out to i.d. him, then remove him?
I am setting up a new aquarium and have purchased all dry rock for it, because he has so terrorized my small system, I don't want to risk another hitchhiker. I will use the live rock that he is in (somewhere) in the sump.
I would consider a YWG and tiger pistol in a small stand alone setup, but I for one will never deliberately add them to my reef aquarium.
I want to be wrong, because I think that the YWG and shrimp would be very interesting to observe. Perhaps I will i.d. the culprit and be pleasantly wrong.
I am setting up a new aquarium and have purchased all dry rock for it, because he has so terrorized my small system, I don't want to risk another hitchhiker. I will use the live rock that he is in (somewhere) in the sump.
I would consider a YWG and tiger pistol in a small stand alone setup, but I for one will never deliberately add them to my reef aquarium.
I want to be wrong, because I think that the YWG and shrimp would be very interesting to observe. Perhaps I will i.d. the culprit and be pleasantly wrong.
BEASTIEPENDENT
Member
We have an Alpheus bellulus without a goby and he loves digging. It is his greatest love and he does nothing else it seems. 
He harms absolutely nothing.
Have I told already that he loves digging? Oh, he does. One day You have a hill in this end of the tank and the next morning it moved to the other end. Do'nt know what keeps him never being satisfied with any burrows but he alters them all the time…
He harms absolutely nothing.Have I told already that he loves digging? Oh, he does. One day You have a hill in this end of the tank and the next morning it moved to the other end. Do'nt know what keeps him never being satisfied with any burrows but he alters them all the time…
We have an Alpheus bellulus without a goby and he loves digging. It is his greatest love and he does nothing else it seems.
Have I told already that he loves digging? Oh, he does. One day You have a hill in this end of the tank and the next morning it moved to the other end. Do'nt know what keeps him never being satisfied with any burrows but he alters them all the time"¦
I have a mated pair of Alpheus sorror who never move. They love to eat, don't bother anyone and are absolutely gorgeous.
LeslieH
Premium Member
What do the holes look like? Octopus & predatory snails produce holes. Stomatopods & pistols break the shells.
Hi Leslie,
Thanks for offering your thoughts. Truely, I never thought about either of those as culprets.
How big are the snails that you are talking about? I have never seen any unknown snails in my tank, except maybe the tiniest of ones that appear on the glass every once and a while.
I did find a small sea star with pale baby blue and a pinkish center (bad pic, tried to get my manual focus to work, and failed, then he went on his way out of sight again.)
I have never seen an octopus, but understand that they can be very good at remaining unseen. Though, I have had the tank, without any additions or rock, for around 4 years now, so I would assume he would have starved or grown enough to be visable by now.
Here is a pic. of a shell. Others had smaller holes, some had no damage at all, I have found pieces of shells before too, but was unsure if they were the rest of damaged ones or new ones completely smashed.
Thanks for offering your thoughts. Truely, I never thought about either of those as culprets.
How big are the snails that you are talking about? I have never seen any unknown snails in my tank, except maybe the tiniest of ones that appear on the glass every once and a while.
I did find a small sea star with pale baby blue and a pinkish center (bad pic, tried to get my manual focus to work, and failed, then he went on his way out of sight again.)
I have never seen an octopus, but understand that they can be very good at remaining unseen. Though, I have had the tank, without any additions or rock, for around 4 years now, so I would assume he would have starved or grown enough to be visable by now.
Here is a pic. of a shell. Others had smaller holes, some had no damage at all, I have found pieces of shells before too, but was unsure if they were the rest of damaged ones or new ones completely smashed.
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BEASTIEPENDENT
Member
Hi there 
An octopus would long be dead, they don't grow older than two years as far as I know. What is it with the little Asterina star?
What You show is (NO: looks like) an old or crushed shell. Probably long empty in the water, it decalcifies and dissolves with time. Predatory snails rellay leave circles, round holes, not like this. You can see a picture here: http://paleo.browardearthsciences.org/gastropoda.html (how they do it: http://web.archive.org/web/20020814212119/www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1998/oct/wb/default.asp )
An octopus would long be dead, they don't grow older than two years as far as I know. What is it with the little Asterina star?
What You show is (NO: looks like) an old or crushed shell. Probably long empty in the water, it decalcifies and dissolves with time. Predatory snails rellay leave circles, round holes, not like this. You can see a picture here: http://paleo.browardearthsciences.org/gastropoda.html (how they do it: http://web.archive.org/web/20020814212119/www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1998/oct/wb/default.asp )
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Thanks,
I missed this post in my subscription notifications,
I didn't think about the shell disolving over time, thanks.
I do hear the tap tap tapping of something though, there are other shells in the tank with similar damage, and some that are completely smashed.
Bigger snails seem to fair better in my tank, and nassarius do just fine, but I loose small hermits, small snails, gobies, wrasse, and cucumbers.
Soon, I will be setting up a new tank, and the current live rock will be going to the sump, with the offender included!
(the terrible picture of the little star was an afterthought. It crawled out of a shell, and had a brighter colored center than I have seen before, so I wanted to make sure that it was in fact a harmless little star)
I missed this post in my subscription notifications,
I didn't think about the shell disolving over time, thanks.
I do hear the tap tap tapping of something though, there are other shells in the tank with similar damage, and some that are completely smashed.
Bigger snails seem to fair better in my tank, and nassarius do just fine, but I loose small hermits, small snails, gobies, wrasse, and cucumbers.
Soon, I will be setting up a new tank, and the current live rock will be going to the sump, with the offender included!
(the terrible picture of the little star was an afterthought. It crawled out of a shell, and had a brighter colored center than I have seen before, so I wanted to make sure that it was in fact a harmless little star)
BEASTIEPENDENT
Member
Hm, from the victims it sounds like a Stomatopod (mantis shrimp), the sound is better than banging described as clicking, I think. Stomatopods are usually diurnal while Alpheids (pistol shrimp) can also be nocturnal. I wouldn't know from both that they kill fish or cucumbers. Strange!
BTW: These stars are of the genus Asterina and absolutely harmless. They just feed on algae and detritus. Although Asterina gibbesi from the Atlantic feeds on the small Asterinas as well, but they grow bigger up to 2 inches in diamter.
Maybe here You have a really nasty predatory crab. Most of the time I'm defending crabs of being suspected as killer but there are of course some really nasty ones. Hermits, snails and even small fishes living near the ground could be explained by that, cucumbers I doubt, but who knows. On the other hand it might be the cucumber died of a natural cause.
Maybe You find out when You isolate the rock and can give us a report or even a photo from the bad guy.
BTW: These stars are of the genus Asterina and absolutely harmless. They just feed on algae and detritus. Although Asterina gibbesi from the Atlantic feeds on the small Asterinas as well, but they grow bigger up to 2 inches in diamter.
Maybe here You have a really nasty predatory crab. Most of the time I'm defending crabs of being suspected as killer but there are of course some really nasty ones. Hermits, snails and even small fishes living near the ground could be explained by that, cucumbers I doubt, but who knows. On the other hand it might be the cucumber died of a natural cause.
Maybe You find out when You isolate the rock and can give us a report or even a photo from the bad guy.
mndfreeze
Invert Sexy Time!
Just a note, I have a randalli pistol (candy cane) and a Tiger pistol (muuucch bigger!) and neither of them actually seem to be able to break even tny shells when they pop snails and hermits walking to close to home. Stun them, sure, but not shatter.
Decent popping pistol to do that pic. I'd guess mantis or some other awe inspiring predator you should mail me when you catch it alive.
Decent popping pistol to do that pic. I'd guess mantis or some other awe inspiring predator you should mail me when you catch it alive.
rjmayes34
New member
I have a pink spotted watchman goby and a pistol shrimp paired in my 120 long and i just lose my little blue leg crabs. The goby take them into their home for the shrimp to eat!!! I dont mind they are cheap and its cool to see!!!!
I love them,he makes they home and takes care of it and he keeps out a watchful eye and protects them! Never had any problems with my smaller fish, sixline and leopard wrasse, manderins. I would recomend them to someone!
I love them,he makes they home and takes care of it and he keeps out a watchful eye and protects them! Never had any problems with my smaller fish, sixline and leopard wrasse, manderins. I would recomend them to someone!
