Anyone have a picture of a pistol shrimp?

Cinco · 05-07-2001, 10:54 PM

Also are there any drawbacks to this critter?
Thanks

naser · 05-07-2001, 10:56 PM

just the name freaks me out. i dont want any pistols pointing and my corals! j/k. sorry never seen one!

Big Ed · 05-07-2001, 11:09 PM

No Picture. There are a bunch of different kinds, but they look kind of like a small lobster with one pincer bigger than the other. The only drawbacks I can think of is that they make a loud pop every now and then and they dig in the sand, which some people don't like.

Ed

WowAFish · 05-07-2001, 11:27 PM

Iv'e been told that these are pistols.

waterboy · 05-08-2001, 07:22 AM

They basically look like pretty crawfish - they come in different colors. They're blind, and they form a symbiotic relationship with a certain kind of blennie (I'm not sure which). They share a hole, and the blennie keeps a lookout. They also make a loud popping noise. I'm pretty sure they're reef safe. I want to get one, but I'm worried about my bioload.

**scubadude** · 05-08-2001, 07:43 AM

Here is a tiger pistol shrimp and you can buy em at PA even with their mated symbiotic partner gobies, which are watchman goby, leopard goby, and maybe sleeper goby. HTH [img]/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img]

[This message has been edited by scubadude (edited 05-08-2001).]

ConnieH · 05-08-2001, 07:46 AM

The symbiotic relationship is with several of the Goby species. I just got a pair last week. Here's a photo of the Alpheus randalli (Alpheus is the genus that forms the symbiotic relationship.)

------------------
Get Involved!
ConnieH

www.masna.org
www.carolinareef.com/masc.htm

ConnieH · 05-08-2001, 07:48 AM

P.S. My goby is a Randall's Shrimp Goby. Pretty rare. The sleeper gobies will NOT pair up, as they are not bottom dwellers.

HTH

------------------
Get Involved!
ConnieH

www.masna.org
www.carolinareef.com/masc.htm

Cinco · 05-08-2001, 03:59 PM

Thanks for the help. Just what I was looking for [img]/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img]

SomeHairyOldGuy · 05-08-2001, 09:25 PM

mine looks alot like the common cleaner shrimp. except the line down the middle of his back is yellow and blue legs. he also has one HUGE pincher. only have been able to see him a few times at night using a flash light.
SHOG[img]/ubb/eyemouth.gif[/img]

[This message has been edited by SomeHairyOldGuy (edited 05-09-2001).]

Cinco · 05-09-2001, 11:46 AM

Wow, lots of variety here. Any particular Pistol shrimp that is less prone to hiding, and still Watchman symbiot? Tiger maybe?

frequentj · 05-09-2001, 05:54 PM

I highly recommend the yellow watchman goby/ tiger pistol pair. Here's a pic of mine.
http://home.earthlink.net/~mwmwm/_ui...pistolgoby.JPG

[This message has been edited by frequentj (edited 05-09-2001).]

Mikeman · 05-09-2001, 06:53 PM

how deep a sand bed do they need?

------------------
Mikeman

"When I was lost as a baby 2 clownfish found me and raised me in an anenome, I still can't keep them"

Cinco · 05-10-2001, 12:31 PM

Frequentj any trouble feeding your goby? Ive got a couple of Ocellaris and a domino that are really aggressive feeders.

PDDII · 05-10-2001, 12:43 PM

Any problems with either the goby or shrimp regarding a DSB, critters, etc.?

Thanks. PDDII

Mikeman · 05-10-2001, 03:37 PM

I was wondering could I have a yellow watchman goby/pistol shrimp pair in a nano tank(5 1/2g) with a 2' crushed coral sandbed?

oh, and do hermit crabs bother them?

------------------
Mikeman

"When I was lost as a baby 2 clownfish found me and raised me in an anenome, I still can't keep them"

[This message has been edited by Mikeman (edited 05-10-2001).]

Colin · 05-10-2001, 04:31 PM

I'd think a 5.5 nano would be too small for just about any fish. But that's JMHO. [img]/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img]

As far as the hermits go, they're fine. They will ocassionally tumble into the tunnel and be promptly removed by the pistol. If he doesn't try to use them to shore up his tunnel. I also saw him run across the sand once and snap 4 or 5 hermits off of a particularly tasty morsel of food and take it. Now THAT'S comedy.

--Colin

[This message has been edited by Colin (edited 05-10-2001).]

Cinco · 05-10-2001, 04:57 PM

Mike...2ft of CC is an aweful lot of substrate [img]/ubb/tongue.gif[/img]
seems like 5.5 gals leaves very little room for error.

Sounds Like a Watchman Goby and Tiger Pistol are a good buy.

[This message has been edited by Cinco (edited 05-10-2001).]

frequentj · 05-10-2001, 05:39 PM

My goby is an absolute pig that will eat anything that comes his way. He stays near the bottom of the tank and doesn't get a lot of competition from other fish that way. The pistol will pick through the sand to eat pods and stuff, but he LOVES spirulina pellets. The only drawback to the shrimp is that he loves to take all my extra hermit shells and any frag that isn't glued down and use them to build his cave, like Colin said, but it's worth it! [img]/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

Colin · 05-10-2001, 07:00 PM

Mine actually moved a good sized fox coral a few inches to cover his burrow. Also, anything on the bottom of the tank near the live rock is subject to getting sand shoveled on it. When I set my tank, the LR was on the glass bottom and all the sand was in front of the LR. Now there is a 3" pile of sand BEHIND the LR where he cleared it out from around the front of the rocks. They are incredibly industrious and busy critters. If you have LR on top of your sand, forget it. You're in for a rockslide.

If you have the correct setup (LR not on the sand) and don't mind shaking sand off of things near the burrow, then they are a GREAT animal to have. Incredibly fascinating. I'd say they're one of my best aquaria purchases to date!

--Colin

05-07-2001, 10:54 PM	#1
Cinco Tenant Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 87	Anyone have a picture of a pistol shrimp? Also are there any drawbacks to this critter? Thanks

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05-07-2001, 10:56 PM	#2
naser super-reefer Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: SAN DIEGO, CA Posts: 1,908	just the name freaks me out. i dont want any pistols pointing and my corals! j/k. sorry never seen one!

05-07-2001, 11:09 PM	#3
Big Ed Citizen Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Billings,MT Posts: 123	No Picture. There are a bunch of different kinds, but they look kind of like a small lobster with one pincer bigger than the other. The only drawbacks I can think of is that they make a loud pop every now and then and they dig in the sand, which some people don't like. Ed

05-07-2001, 11:27 PM	#4
WowAFish Just Moved In Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Canyon Country, CA Posts: 39	Iv'e been told that these are pistols.

05-08-2001, 07:22 AM	#5
waterboy Citizen Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Columbus,OH,US Posts: 157	They basically look like pretty crawfish - they come in different colors. They're blind, and they form a symbiotic relationship with a certain kind of blennie (I'm not sure which). They share a hole, and the blennie keeps a lookout. They also make a loud popping noise. I'm pretty sure they're reef safe. I want to get one, but I'm worried about my bioload.

05-08-2001, 07:43 AM	#6
scubadude Moderator Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Wichita, Kansas Posts: 5,315	Here is a tiger pistol shrimp and you can buy em at PA even with their mated symbiotic partner gobies, which are watchman goby, leopard goby, and maybe sleeper goby. HTH [img]/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img] [This message has been edited by scubadude (edited 05-08-2001).]

05-08-2001, 07:46 AM	#7
ConnieH Gone Fishin' Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: East Coast Posts: 70	The symbiotic relationship is with several of the Goby species. I just got a pair last week. Here's a photo of the Alpheus randalli (Alpheus is the genus that forms the symbiotic relationship.) ------------------ Get Involved! ConnieH www.masna.org www.carolinareef.com/masc.htm

05-08-2001, 07:48 AM	#8
ConnieH Gone Fishin' Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: East Coast Posts: 70	P.S. My goby is a Randall's Shrimp Goby. Pretty rare. The sleeper gobies will NOT pair up, as they are not bottom dwellers. HTH ------------------ Get Involved! ConnieH www.masna.org www.carolinareef.com/masc.htm

05-08-2001, 03:59 PM	#9
Cinco Tenant Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 87	Thanks for the help. Just what I was looking for [img]/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img]

05-08-2001, 09:25 PM	#10
SomeHairyOldGuy Mayor Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: OU Posts: 736	mine looks alot like the common cleaner shrimp. except the line down the middle of his back is yellow and blue legs. he also has one HUGE pincher. only have been able to see him a few times at night using a flash light. SHOG[img]/ubb/eyemouth.gif[/img] [This message has been edited by SomeHairyOldGuy (edited 05-09-2001).]

05-09-2001, 11:46 AM	#11
Cinco Tenant Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 87	Wow, lots of variety here. Any particular Pistol shrimp that is less prone to hiding, and still Watchman symbiot? Tiger maybe?

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05-09-2001, 05:54 PM	#12
frequentj Council Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: KY Posts: 295	I highly recommend the yellow watchman goby/ tiger pistol pair. Here's a pic of mine. http://home.earthlink.net/~mwmwm/_ui...pistolgoby.JPG [This message has been edited by frequentj (edited 05-09-2001).]

05-09-2001, 06:53 PM	#13
Mikeman Governor Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Watertown,SD,USA Posts: 1,502	how deep a sand bed do they need? ------------------ Mikeman "When I was lost as a baby 2 clownfish found me and raised me in an anenome, I still can't keep them"

05-10-2001, 12:31 PM	#14
Cinco Tenant Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 87	Frequentj any trouble feeding your goby? Ive got a couple of Ocellaris and a domino that are really aggressive feeders.

05-10-2001, 12:43 PM	#15
PDDII Citizen Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 192	Any problems with either the goby or shrimp regarding a DSB, critters, etc.? Thanks. PDDII

05-10-2001, 03:37 PM	#16
Mikeman Governor Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Watertown,SD,USA Posts: 1,502	I was wondering could I have a yellow watchman goby/pistol shrimp pair in a nano tank(5 1/2g) with a 2' crushed coral sandbed? oh, and do hermit crabs bother them? ------------------ Mikeman "When I was lost as a baby 2 clownfish found me and raised me in an anenome, I still can't keep them" [This message has been edited by Mikeman (edited 05-10-2001).]

05-10-2001, 04:31 PM	#17
Colin Just Moved In Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Edmond, OK USA Posts: 35	I'd think a 5.5 nano would be too small for just about any fish. But that's JMHO. [img]/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img] As far as the hermits go, they're fine. They will ocassionally tumble into the tunnel and be promptly removed by the pistol. If he doesn't try to use them to shore up his tunnel. I also saw him run across the sand once and snap 4 or 5 hermits off of a particularly tasty morsel of food and take it. Now THAT'S comedy. --Colin [This message has been edited by Colin (edited 05-10-2001).]

05-10-2001, 04:57 PM	#18
Cinco Tenant Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 87	Mike...2ft of CC is an aweful lot of substrate [img]/ubb/tongue.gif[/img] seems like 5.5 gals leaves very little room for error. Sounds Like a Watchman Goby and Tiger Pistol are a good buy. [This message has been edited by Cinco (edited 05-10-2001).]

05-10-2001, 05:39 PM	#19
frequentj Council Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: KY Posts: 295	My goby is an absolute pig that will eat anything that comes his way. He stays near the bottom of the tank and doesn't get a lot of competition from other fish that way. The pistol will pick through the sand to eat pods and stuff, but he LOVES spirulina pellets. The only drawback to the shrimp is that he loves to take all my extra hermit shells and any frag that isn't glued down and use them to build his cave, like Colin said, but it's worth it! [img]/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

05-10-2001, 07:00 PM	#20
Colin Just Moved In Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Edmond, OK USA Posts: 35	Mine actually moved a good sized fox coral a few inches to cover his burrow. Also, anything on the bottom of the tank near the live rock is subject to getting sand shoveled on it. When I set my tank, the LR was on the glass bottom and all the sand was in front of the LR. Now there is a 3" pile of sand BEHIND the LR where he cleared it out from around the front of the rocks. They are incredibly industrious and busy critters. If you have LR on top of your sand, forget it. You're in for a rockslide. If you have the correct setup (LR not on the sand) and don't mind shaking sand off of things near the burrow, then they are a GREAT animal to have. Incredibly fascinating. I'd say they're one of my best aquaria purchases to date! --Colin