Video of pistol shrimp duel (Also: Are they crab killers?)

[Fiver]

Worried that I had a mantis shrimp, I cleaned out a few of my live rocks today and found about 8 pistol shrimps. I've had about five gorilla crab deaths (yeah!) and five porcelain crab deaths (boo!) in the month my tank has been up.

I didn't find a mantis today. I let the rock sit out of water and let the shrimp drop into puddles of water below. I flushed with soda water. No mantis. Could these pistols be the crab killers? I'm worried about my porcelain crabs.

I'm going to keep these shrimp out for a while and see if I have any more crab casualties.

Any IDs in the ones in this picture? (This is just some; I also found a few pretty red ones.)

And the video, as I promised:

http://youtu.be/hCRT1rrKx7s

 

[Bogue Chitto]

I wouldn't want them in my tank. Thanks for the vid.

 

[Fiver]

I wouldn't want them in my tank. Thanks for the vid.

You're welcome! Thanks for the input. I've been doing some research, and this species is more predatory than the ones that partner with gobies. I migh just have to set up a low-maintenance tank for these guys!

 

[Kidd Reef]

Dang thats alot of hitchhikers. the bad kind too. good thing you gottem all out, the noise musta been driving you crazy! friend of mine had one when he first set up his tank and ripped it apart looking for him cause it was so noisy.

 

[toothybugs]

I just put my TBS rock in my fuge... instant isolation but the algae and bacteria are in the system with the processing power.

 

[Fiver]

Dang thats alot of hitchhikers. the bad kind too. good thing you gottem all out, the noise musta been driving you crazy! friend of mine had one when he first set up his tank and ripped it apart looking for him cause it was so noisy.

I don't mind, really. I love the live rock and sand. I have a little story-and-a-half house, and I could hear these upstairs! I have a rescue parrot, though, so noise is nothing!

I just put my TBS rock in my fuge... instant isolation but the algae and bacteria are in the system with the processing power.

That's really smart. I do love my TBS rock in the tank, though. I also have no sump. Ha.

 

[Bent]

IMO the gorilla crabs and the whelks are the ones that are probably killing your porcelain crabs, at least that's what mine were doing.

Seems strange that a snail would catch a crab, but if they sneak up on one they can get it. Also if the gorilla is big enough, he'll crush a porcelain crab like a beer can.

 

[Fiver]

IMO the gorilla crabs and the whelks are the ones that are probably killing your porcelain crabs, at least that's what mine were doing.

Seems strange that a snail would catch a crab, but if they sneak up on one they can get it. Also if the gorilla is big enough, he'll crush a porcelain crab like a beer can.

I definitely think gorilla crabs and whelks are threats, and have been removing them as I find them. However, one reason I think the pistol shrimps are the main predators is that I saw a slightly-under-nickel-sized gorilla crab shoot out of a hole dead as a rock from the main rock with the loudest clicking/snapping.

 

[Bent]

I definitely think gorilla crabs and whelks are threats, and have been removing them as I find them. However, one reason I think the pistol shrimps are the main predators is that I saw a slightly-under-nickel-sized gorilla crab shoot out of a hole dead as a rock from the main rock with the loudest clicking/snapping.

My guess would be the gorilla tried to get a snack from him and the pistol defended himself.

The pistols typically don't attack.