What would happen if shot by a pistol shrimp..

[Calappidae]

Out of curiousity.. Does anybody know what would happen if you got shot at by a pistol shrimp? I've heard that is feels like a rubber band, they can break your finger (mantis?), You don't feel anything but a water current, etc..

I have stuck my finger in pistol shrimp burrows on multiple ocassions and never got snapped at but it makes me wonder what would happen if I did.. They seem too peaceful to actually snap at you unlike a mantis, but I can't help wondering what would happen if it did.

I know they are pretty crazy when they snap generating light and heat.. but I don't think this would really affect us in a small aquarium because there is less pressure compared to the whole ocean.

 

[pagojoe]

Dunno about pistol shrimp. I do know about mantises, they hurt.

 

[Calappidae]

I guess nobody ever got shot by a pistol. Mantis shrimp are well known as thumbsplitters with good reason, I still put my fingers in their tanks

I guess pistol shrimp are just that harmless afterall

 

[pache11]

Depend on the pistol the larger ones will sting pretty good. The small ones like the Randall's pistols don't hurt at all.

 

[Cdiggy]

Depends on the pistol the shrimp is packing!!! Lol

 

[snorvich]

Dunno about pistol shrimp. I do know about mantises, they hurt.

Yes, they are called "thumb splitters" by fisherman.

 

[ryanwongg]

I've been shot by my pistol shrimp. he's only an inch or so but it sure packed a punch. i would say a rubber band is pretty accurate. I think the element of suprise make it hurt more lol

 

[Smpco02]

Mine has never discharged, seems pretty mellow.

 

[ArmasCG]

I was shot by a large pistol once and it drew blood a little bit on my knuckle. Stung a bit.

 

[Betta132]

I got shot by a 1" Randall's once, felt about like getting snapped by a rubber band.
I have a nearly 3" tiger pistol in my tank, and every now and then my 2" waspfish goes after his goby and gets shot at. The wasp always darts away and hides, but it never seems injured, just unhappy for a little while. It's given up on chasing the goby now
The shrimp isn't aggressive at all... It shoots to defend its tunnels, it chases the burrowing snail away by shooting it (doesn't hurt the snail) and it used to kill tiny bristleworms, but I'd call it overall a very safe shrimp.
I've seen video of HUGE (6"!) ones that would probably HURT, but I don't think any of the regular ones are a danger to most creatures aside from maybe small shrimp.