Chris' Cadlights 45g Shallow
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cnseekatz
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I run my two MP10s on Reef-Crest mode. One maxes out at 50%, the other around 80%.
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cnseekatz
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New dork in my tank. Not handsome, not flashy, but fun to watch.
#reef2reef, #worldwidecorals, #mywwccontest
#reef2reef, #worldwidecorals, #mywwccontest
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cnseekatz
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Bullseye Snapping Shrimp (Alpheus soror)
I found this cool little guy at my LFS about a year ago, and after some quick Googling, I bought it. It's a fascinating little creature, and surprisingly, I've never seen another one at a fish store, or in anyone else's tank blogs. Given how beautiful it is, and how (mostly) reef safe it seems to be, I figured I'd do a short write up to spread awareness about the Bullseye Snapping Shrimp.
Alpheus soror is a beautiful golden color with vibrant purple/blue legs and claws. For anyone who has owned an azule damsel, you know the exact color combination. He is a pistol shrimp, and has a lot of the same characteristics and behaviors as other pistols, with a few major differences. They are burrowers and tunnel-builders, but unlike most of the pistol shrimp we see in this hobby, they don't seem to bond with gobies. For whatever reason, the Bullseye is a solitary figure. Whether it's causation or correlation, it seems to be much more active and bold than other pistol shrimp. He is constantly on the move, has an extensive network of tunnels spanning the entire length of my tank (3' across). He has become bolder the longer he's been in my tank, and I see him often now, and not just poking out of tunnels, but creeping around on the base of my rockwork as well. He doesn't have a goby to keep him safe, or to help feed him, so he's out and about all the time. He's an avid scavenger, and does an amazing job cleaning up uneaten food. His burrows have allowed improved water movement underneath my rocks and he stirs up a lot of detritus while he goes about his business. Another interesting trait is the "snapping" part, which is shockingly loud (I hear him snapping from across the room with the TV on). As Live Aquaria puts it, "The sound it makes comes from an appendage on the pincher which moves when the pincher is opened or closed and water is ejected." Check out the little video below, if you turn your sound up, you can hear him snapping at my forceps.
He is listed as reef safe, though after a year of observing him, I can add a few caveats to that statement. First, I've never seen him go after any corals, hard or soft. He doesn't go after snails or fish, but I have seen him go after hermit crabs who get too close. He won't kill them, but he'll snap at them ferociously, and even attack them. The attack doesn't accomplish a lot, but he'll shake the shell for a few seconds and then both will retreat to their respective corners. For the most part, he's a good citizen in my reef tank. The one major BUT is in regards to, surprisingly enough... gobies! Seeing as he is a loner, he does not take kindly to anyone who tries to invade his tunnels. I've attempted several gobies and blennies over the past year, and they always end with the same result. These fish, who either burrow themselves, or just enjoy a nice cave under a rock, inevitably find a nice pre-made tunnel and try to make themselves at home. Only problem is that when the Bullseye catches them in his house, he charges them, and snaps... The fish, who weren't expecting such rudeness freak out, fly out of the burrow, and then out of the tank. I've only seen it happen once, when I was fortunate enough to rescue the carpet surfer, but unfortnately it's happened multiple times, with multiple species of bottom dwelling gobies and blennies while I was not around to stop it. He is clearly not compatible with bottom dwelling gobies and blennies. Not because he wants to eat them, but because he defends his turf, and it leads to jumping. Keep in mind, my tank is only 45 gallons, so with a larger tank, and more territory, one might have success... though it's safe to say, the shrimp and fish won't be living harmoniously together.
In summary, this is a gorgeous, unique shrimp, who is really engaging and fun to have in your tank. He provides the typical benefits of a scavenging shrimp, with the same risks/rewards of a tunnel builder. They appear to be pretty rare in the hobby, so if you come across one, I encourage you to pick him up... unless of course, you house any kind of shrimp gobies, or sand-sifting gobies, or bottom dwelling blennies... because it's likely to end badly.
I found this cool little guy at my LFS about a year ago, and after some quick Googling, I bought it. It's a fascinating little creature, and surprisingly, I've never seen another one at a fish store, or in anyone else's tank blogs. Given how beautiful it is, and how (mostly) reef safe it seems to be, I figured I'd do a short write up to spread awareness about the Bullseye Snapping Shrimp.
Alpheus soror is a beautiful golden color with vibrant purple/blue legs and claws. For anyone who has owned an azule damsel, you know the exact color combination. He is a pistol shrimp, and has a lot of the same characteristics and behaviors as other pistols, with a few major differences. They are burrowers and tunnel-builders, but unlike most of the pistol shrimp we see in this hobby, they don't seem to bond with gobies. For whatever reason, the Bullseye is a solitary figure. Whether it's causation or correlation, it seems to be much more active and bold than other pistol shrimp. He is constantly on the move, has an extensive network of tunnels spanning the entire length of my tank (3' across). He has become bolder the longer he's been in my tank, and I see him often now, and not just poking out of tunnels, but creeping around on the base of my rockwork as well. He doesn't have a goby to keep him safe, or to help feed him, so he's out and about all the time. He's an avid scavenger, and does an amazing job cleaning up uneaten food. His burrows have allowed improved water movement underneath my rocks and he stirs up a lot of detritus while he goes about his business. Another interesting trait is the "snapping" part, which is shockingly loud (I hear him snapping from across the room with the TV on). As Live Aquaria puts it, "The sound it makes comes from an appendage on the pincher which moves when the pincher is opened or closed and water is ejected." Check out the little video below, if you turn your sound up, you can hear him snapping at my forceps.
He is listed as reef safe, though after a year of observing him, I can add a few caveats to that statement. First, I've never seen him go after any corals, hard or soft. He doesn't go after snails or fish, but I have seen him go after hermit crabs who get too close. He won't kill them, but he'll snap at them ferociously, and even attack them. The attack doesn't accomplish a lot, but he'll shake the shell for a few seconds and then both will retreat to their respective corners. For the most part, he's a good citizen in my reef tank. The one major BUT is in regards to, surprisingly enough... gobies! Seeing as he is a loner, he does not take kindly to anyone who tries to invade his tunnels. I've attempted several gobies and blennies over the past year, and they always end with the same result. These fish, who either burrow themselves, or just enjoy a nice cave under a rock, inevitably find a nice pre-made tunnel and try to make themselves at home. Only problem is that when the Bullseye catches them in his house, he charges them, and snaps... The fish, who weren't expecting such rudeness freak out, fly out of the burrow, and then out of the tank. I've only seen it happen once, when I was fortunate enough to rescue the carpet surfer, but unfortnately it's happened multiple times, with multiple species of bottom dwelling gobies and blennies while I was not around to stop it. He is clearly not compatible with bottom dwelling gobies and blennies. Not because he wants to eat them, but because he defends his turf, and it leads to jumping. Keep in mind, my tank is only 45 gallons, so with a larger tank, and more territory, one might have success... though it's safe to say, the shrimp and fish won't be living harmoniously together.
In summary, this is a gorgeous, unique shrimp, who is really engaging and fun to have in your tank. He provides the typical benefits of a scavenging shrimp, with the same risks/rewards of a tunnel builder. They appear to be pretty rare in the hobby, so if you come across one, I encourage you to pick him up... unless of course, you house any kind of shrimp gobies, or sand-sifting gobies, or bottom dwelling blennies... because it's likely to end badly.
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cnseekatz
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Here's an update for ya'll. I've re-scaped the tank a bit. I went a little more vertical, which opens up some negative space and white sand. I think it's a little more deliberate, and less like a pile of rock with corals on them.
Make sure you're watching in 1080p!
Make sure you're watching in 1080p!
