Pistol and peppermint shrimp experience?

[Jim the noob]

hey guys, i currently have a pistol shrimp, with goby freind and 2 scarlets, living side by side, no problems what so ever...

all 3 of them only use ½ of the aquarium, so does any of you see a reason why i shouldnt be able to add a peppermint??

 

[muzikalmatt]

A pistol shrimp and a peppermint shrimp live in totally different areas of the tank's habitat space so you should be fine. I've had pistol shrimps with both a peppermint and a cleaner shrimp with no issues. The pistol shrimp will keep to his burrow.

 

[Jim the noob]

just what i was hoping to hear

 

[Jim the noob]

ive read that the pistol CAN eat/kill both peppermint and scarlets, any of you guys actualy experienced that, or is it more like a statistical risk?

 

[PR_nano]

My candy pistol snaps when the peppermints get close to the burrow but that's enough to get them to retreat.

 

[muzikalmatt]

I mean they definitely can kill/eat peppermint or cleaner shrimp, but I don't think that would happen unless they're being severely underfed. Since you have a goby paired with him, as long as you're making sure to target feed them you should be fine. I always make sure that some food gets down to their burrows so both the goby and pistol shrimp get enough to eat.

Here's a video from BBC of a pistol shrimp stunning a cleaner shrimp which then became his meal...so it's definitely possible.

 

[Sharkbait19]

What kind of pistol? Assuming a tiger or candy cane. Both a pretty much blind so I wouldn’t expect it. A tiger “could” but they don’t prey on shrimps.
One of the non pairers could though.

 

[Jim the noob]

if memory serves, its a tiger, and i doubt its gonna be underfed, i see it allmost every 2nd day getting a few "clawfull" of nori and taking it back to the cave.

So, if its not hungry, i dont have to worry ? its not a territorial matter or something like that `?

 

[muzikalmatt]

if memory serves, its a tiger, and i doubt its gonna be underfed, i see it allmost every 2nd day getting a few "clawfull" of nori and taking it back to the cave.

So, if its not hungry, i dont have to worry ? its not a territorial matter or something like that `?

They definitely defend their territory, but since pistols live in burrows underneath your rockwork they aren't competing with the other shrimp for space. I think your peppermint or cleaner shrimp will learn to avoid the pistol shrimp and again, as long as they're both getting enough to eat you should be just fine.

 

[Sharkbait19]

To add to territory, a peppermint shrimp is really not much of a threat (except to corals potentially). A risk is greater for something like a boxer shrimp which may try to pick on the pistol and get itself killed (which is also rare).

 

[Jim the noob]

my boxer live as the only shrimp in my other tank..

my pistol and the scarlets havent had any encounters so far happy to say...

but im glad to hear, that i shouldnt woory too much if adding a peppermint.