Would a pistol shrimp eat a fish?

[reefyredfish]

Either my healthy 6 line wrasse ate my 2" blue morpho
or my pistol shrimp. I have witnessed the 6 line terrorizing
my wheeler watchman to the point of him rarely making an
appearance. Now I don't know if he's even alive. And the blue
morpho tang was hiding for couple days then gone.
I know the pistol shrimp would and probably has eaten othe
shrimp in my tank including a much large blood shrimp, BUT
would it eat a sleeping fish possibly????
Any thoughts? Greatly appreciated.

 

[rydr119]

The shrimp didn't do it. The six line may have killed your fish and the shrimp just cleaned up the scene. Unless your pistol is like 4" long then it's not gonna happen and even if it is I doubt it. I have had six lines in the past and had to find them new homes b/c they were to aggressive.

 

[mamagoose45]

AMEN to the sixline comment!!!

We just tore an entire 90 gallon apart to get our sixline out (and to redo rockwork, but mostly for the wrasse!) It has successfully killed 2 maroon clowns, bullied to death a tang, and contributed to the demise of a handful of other fish...

 

[Tylt33]

Ummmm, read the copy of Coral Magazine from a few months back. It's about gobies and pistol shrimp. There are numerous articles talking about pistol shrimp killing their gobies, as well as other fish in the tank. If you have any type of pistol other than a Randall's, it's very possible.

 

[reefyredfish]

Yea, Im going to keep a close watch on the pistol shrimp and
make sure I keep him well fed.. I'm
pretty sure he's a randall. I know the wrasse was picking on
a couple fish. I didn't have to tear the tank down, Thank goodness.
I put a piece of a silverslide in one of those plexeglass fish holders
you see at the LFS. I set it on the bottom of the tank on it's side.
I left a little gap on one side so the fish coulds swim in then I trapped
him against the glass of the tank. Surprisingly easy, it did take
me two times. You have to scare him to the bottom of the holder
with your hand.

 

[dzeadow]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12339843#post12339843 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Tylt33
Ummmm, read the copy of Coral Magazine from a few months back. It's about gobies and pistol shrimp. There are numerous articles talking about pistol shrimp killing their gobies, as well as other fish in the tank. If you have any type of pistol other than a Randall's, it's very possible.

I have a 2.5-3" long A. Bellulus (Tiger) pistol w/ a hi-fin and I've personally witnessed him snap his pistol directly behind the goby w/ no ill effects. Now I don't know if they have 2 levels of "shot" out of their pistol claw or not. I just know I've seen & heard him do it when the goby is sitting right in front of him. The shrimp use their pistols as more of a defense mechanism, warning than anything else. The gobies tail whips and behavior generally dictates what the shrimp is going to do. Theyre scavengers unless being fed from their gobies. Now there's other pistols out there that aren't so friendly...especially the ones that dont have the symbiotic relationship (carribean pistols). My Randal's that's not paired w/ a goby never comes out of his hole that I can tell. I saw him for the first time in 2-3 weeks today. Sorry about the running on, just thought I'd throw another opinion out there.

 

[dzeadow]

obviously I'm not saying that it didn't or doesn't happen. It makes perfect sense to have a warning click and a "you're dead" click. When I was acclimating my 2 tigers, they found each other in the box and went face to face and the bigger of the two clicked at the smaller one and nothing happened.

 

[Tylt33]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKPrGxB1Kzc

 

[dzeadow]

if I remember correctly, that's a carribean pistol. There's no question you don't want those in your tank. But the video does say that they can communicate w/ the snap as well.

 

[dragonladylea]

f I remember correctly, that's a carribean pistol. There's no question you don't want those in your tank. But the video does say that they can communicate w/ the snap as well

I have to disagree with owning a Carribean mine is 3"+ and has not ever harmed another invert or fish in my tank. He will snap at something in his territory and yes it hurts (he's gotten me a few times) or in the case of hermits he will pick them up and throw them out of his area. He also has the ability to snap both claws (after many people researching its been determined he is a mutation). I have had a few Gobies in the tank and have a variety of other shrimp in the tank. I have had him for over 5 years with no problems and would trade him for anything.

 

[reefyredfish]

Hey Dragonlady- Does yours look like the one in the video? If so this is
good news to me. I tprobably means it was the six line wrasse and hes gone.
I too really like my pistol shrimp, he's in spot I can keep an eye on him and feed
him easily. I did add a new peppermint shrimp as a test to see if he can make it.
If he does then i'll get another Blood Shrimp and won't worry so much about smaller fish. Thanks guys!

 

[dragonladylea]

Close enough to be twins - except for mine having the extra snapper.

 

[reefyredfish]

Yep...looks like mine. Yea except for the extra snapper.
Bonus. So I you don't think I should worry to much about this guy?
Also why 2 pics are they both yours or is one from the video? And is
the second one in a bowl? I thought he was in the tank???

 

[dragonladylea]

Yep, both pics are of mine. The one in the bowl was when I switched from a 35 hex to the 55, I didnt want to have him get squished and I also needed a couple of good pics for the experts to look at. He is happily residing in the 55 with a Melanrus Wrasse, GSM, Flame Angel, Madarin, Bloodshrimp, Cleaner Shrimp, Various corals, crabs, snails, Harlequin Serpent Star, Royal Urchin ( he got snapped a few times this morning until he moved out of "Dillingers" territory).

I have never had any casualties that I could say were his fault, and it sure is funny to watch him pick up the hermits and throw them. (doesnt hurt them).

Enjoy having it!