Buying a Pistol Shrimp

[Bear Claw]

I'm trying to buy a Randal's Pistol Shrimp as soon as possible for my Yasha Goby. None of my LFSs have any. Anyone know the best place to buy them online? Or should I just wait for my LFSs to have them in stock? FYI it could be a while before the LFSs have them.

 

[afrokobe]

I have ordered them from reefcleaners before and got a healthy specimen. Generally I try to buy my inverts at LFS, you could try seeing if they can special order one for you? I got one my others one through that way

 

[Andreas' Reef]

If you're in Raleigh I would say you could order them at liveaquaria since they have them at a decent price.

saltwaterfish.com has them at a decent price as well

 

[afrokobe]

I got my yasha through saltwaterfish. It was delayed overnight and still arrived healthy

 

[Andreas' Reef]

I live in Canada so I wouldn't know but I'm just going off what I've heard.

 

[Bear Claw]

I have ordered them from reefcleaners before and got a healthy specimen. Generally I try to buy my inverts at LFS, you could try seeing if they can special order one for you? I got one my others one through that way

I tired that. They said their supplier didn't have any available. I will check out reef cleaners

 

[afrokobe]

I tired that. They said their supplier didn't have any available. I will check out reef cleaners

ah ok, it could be seasonal... irrc last year I was looking around the same time and I think i had trouble finding them around too. When fall hits, I think there were a lot more randalls around

 

[Bear Claw]

If you're in Raleigh I would say you could order them at liveaquaria since they have them at a decent price.

saltwaterfish.com has them at a decent price as well

It doesn't look like live aquaria sells them

 

[Bear Claw]

ah ok, it could be seasonal... irrc last year I was looking around the same time and I think i had trouble finding them around too. When fall hits, I think there were a lot more randalls around

Yea that's what they said too. That's why I was gonna try and find one online

 

[Andreas' Reef]

ah ok, it could be seasonal... irrc last year I was looking around the same time and I think i had trouble finding them around too. When fall hits, I think there were a lot more randalls around

Yeah the species tend to fall back a bit in the Fall if that makes sense. They become more reclusive. Could be seasonal but sometimes divers have a hard time.

 

[Andreas' Reef]

Yea that's what they said too. That's why I was gonna try and find one online

Pistol Shrimp: Randalli

The Randalli Pistol Shrimp, Alpheus randalli., also known as Snapping Shrimp, or Symbiosis Shrimp are marine invertebrates that have one extra large claw it uses to snap at prey to stun them. They are also known for forming symbiotic relationships with gobies - this can be an incredibly fun and...

www.saltwaterfish.com

Sorry, i was looking at a tiger pistol but I found one on saltwaterfish

 

[XtraKargo]

I'd order one online, and take the chance. I waited 2-3 months for my LFS to get a Candy Cane shrimp while my yasha was in the tank. It later died, either due to a fish fight, or from an article I read in Coral mag they get stressed without their pistol shrimp teammate. I think a shrimp does fine w/o the goby, but not vice-versa.

Good luck in your search! Please keep us updated on how it goes.

 

[Andreas' Reef]

I'd order one online, and take the chance. I waited 2-3 months while my yasha was in the tank. It later died, either due to a fish fight, or from an article I read in Coral mag they get stressed without their pistol shrimp teammate. I think a shrimp does fine w/o the goby, but not vice-versa.

Good luck in your search! Please keep us updated on how it goes.

Gobies and shrimps are meant for each other. If a goby dies, the shrimp gets disoriented and starts moving heaps of sand around knocking over rocks. Gobies get stressed without a shrimp and stay in their cave all the time. When my goby didnt have a shrimp it never came out. now my goby spends most of its time outside the cave.

 

[Bear Claw]

Anyone have any experience with blue zoo aquatics? They have them in stock and their prices are much more reasonable

 

[Bear Claw]

I have ordered them from reefcleaners before and got a healthy specimen. Generally I try to buy my inverts at LFS, you could try seeing if they can special order one for you? I got one my others one through that way

What about blue zoo aquatics?

 

[XtraKargo]

What about blue zoo aquatics?

Here is a recent review here on R2R. I haven't personally, but I was considering buying from them as well.

Blue Zoo Aquatics Opinion

I'm finally ready to order fish and I'm looking at placing an order with Blue Zoo. For others who have used them, what was your experience?

www.reef2reef.com

 

[afrokobe]

What about blue zoo aquatics?

I haven't personally ordered, but I think its the same drop shipping services as the other LA ones. (saltwaterfish, reefs4less, etc.)

 

[afrokobe]

You could also try @Eric Cohen here from tankstop. Love the aussie rock from him, he might be able to find you your shrimp

 

[merkmerk73]

These can be hard to find. There was a 6 month period or so where nobody had them.

Sadly I think they're hard to get captive bred - if at all (many crustaceans are very difficult).

I have a question for the thread - can multiple be housed in larger tanks?

They're very small and I would expect them to settle in various areas but I introduced a second one to keep my 2nd watchman goby company and it disappeared

It may very well still be alive but I haven't seen it.

FWIW I like these guys a lot more than tiger pistols because they stay smaller and are not aggressive at all. Very cute little guys

You won't see them much though.

edit: I ordered mine from blue zoo and everything was great. My only issue was that blue zoo ran significantly lower salinity in their fish water, which makes acclimation more difficult - wasn't a fan of that.

edit2: they also have some really sus recent google reviews.

 

[Budman93]

I'm trying to buy a Randal's Pistol Shrimp as soon as possible for my Yasha Goby. None of my LFSs have any. Anyone know the best place to buy them online? Or should I just wait for my LFSs to have them in stock? FYI it could be a while before the LFSs have them.

Word to the wise be careful ordering these guys online. I received one the size of a tic tac and never saw it ever again after i ordered it online. My carpenters wrasse was trying to eat it cause it was so small so i presume it eventually became fish food