Pistol Shrimp Identification/Slowly losing my mind

[lbiminiblue]

Hey all. Years ago I added some LR to my display 120. Store bought. Minimal check for hitchhikers, but the past is in the past.

The rock carried a pistol shrimp with it. For years I would hear the just-audible clicking, and after losing multiple batches of CUC, i was fed up. I took the suspect rock, dunked it in FW, left it to sit, and a bit later, this showed up dead in the water.

The only reason I care for an ID on this shrimp is because there in the photo it’s pregnant. As far as I remember shrimp don’t bear eggs until they’ve been fertilized, (correct me if I’m wrong) and this means there is a mate in that rock, or at least in the tank.

Even after removing this one, the clicks continued. So I know there most probably was a mate. Now, as I start a deep clean/soft reboot of my tank, I figured it’s time to tackle that other shrimp once and for all, considering I want to add more CUC/ a dragonet and I don’t want anything happening to them.

Yesterday I took the suspect rock, along with its foundational rock, dunked them, hosed them, blasted the interiors (it’s an extremely cave-y rock). No corpse, not even a sighting.

After everything was done, the clicking continued today, and I realize he’s probably moved into the sandbed.

So here’s my question; what type of shrimp is he, and would he possibly be pairable with a watchman goby? I love sand-based creatures, and assume the shrimp is actually in the sand now anyway, not the rock. Would getting a watchman goby at all temper his actions/make him a safer addition, assuming they pair? I figure if they could pair, id at least know where the shrimp is at all times, and could spot feed him.

I’m not quite yet ready to tear down my tank entirely to find him - since, in all honesty, he’s not that dangerous: the clicking emanates from near my clownfish colony, and they’ve lived undisturbed by the shrimp for years now. My blend and royal gramma regularly hang by that rock too, and no issues so far.

 

[lbiminiblue]

Update: looking at the suspect pile of rock, I realize that in my brilliance i forgot to move a smaller rock that is half buried. I would bet good money He’s under there.

Rightmost rock in the foreground. Hard to tell it’s a separate rock.

 

[W1ngz]

You're right that shrimp don't carry their eggs under the tail until they are fertilized.
If you're willing to keep it, then it might pair with a watchman or a wheeler or some other shrimp goby that you like, or can find wherever you get fish.

I'm not sure if a solo pistol will build a burrow the way they do when paired with a goby, do they just bury themselves and hide? If the tank bottom is visible from the underside, there's a chance you'll be able to see it from underneath.

If you're willing to replenish your cleanup crew periodically, they're great to watch, and the fish might keep the shrimp fed so it will kill less, but it will still kill anything that wanders into the burrow. I regularly find empty shells at the burrow entrance, and any time I've tried an emerald crab, it winds up a dead carcass on their doorstep.

That looks like a bullseye pistol.

 

[BestMomEver]

I have 2 pistol shrimp. They are pretty cool. I just buy more CUC every 6 months or so.

 

[lbiminiblue]

You're right that shrimp don't carry their eggs under the tail until they are fertilized.
If you're willing to keep it, then it might pair with a watchman or a wheeler or some other shrimp goby that you like, or can find wherever you get fish.

I'm not sure if a solo pistol will build a burrow the way they do when paired with a goby, do they just bury themselves and hide? If the tank bottom is visible from the underside, there's a chance you'll be able to see it from underneath.

If you're willing to replenish your cleanup crew periodically, they're great to watch, and the fish might keep the shrimp fed so it will kill less, but it will still kill anything that wanders into the burrow. I regularly find empty shells at the burrow entrance, and any time I've tried an emerald crab, it winds up a dead carcass on their doorstep.

That looks like a bullseye pistol.

Im willing to keep it so long as I can’t have a good sense of where it is. Unfortunately there’s a wooden slab underneath my glass. My old stand had a clear view of the bottom.

Now if I buy any of the pairing gobies, should I just expect that, in enough time, they’ll find each other?

 

[W1ngz]

Now if I buy any of the pairing gobies, should I just expect that, in enough time, they’ll find each other?

That's the best you can hope for. I don't think anyone's published a 'Goby's guide to Shrimp love' lol.

When I moved 2 years ago, I kept them together in the bucket, and tossed them into the tank when I set it up. By next morning they had found each other and built a new house, so they do have some kind of instinct to find and pair.

 

[RichReef]

I'm not sure that's a pistol shrimp. Could very well be wrong but that looks like a mantis to me.

 

[lbiminiblue]

I'm not sure that's a pistol shrimp. Could very well be wrong but that looks like a mantis to me.

It only had one oversized claw. Almost positive it isn’t a mantis.

 

[saltyhog]

I'm not sure all pistol shrimp species form symbiotic relationships with gobies? I had one that was similar to the one you have that did not go in the sand at all but stayed in the rock work. He did not pair with my goby.

 

[lbiminiblue]

Any other thoughts on identification? It was such a small shrimp, but clearly sexually mature. I’ve been poring over some species but still haven’t found anything quite like it. Would really make or break my decision of where to go from here.

 

[eggplantparrot]

I have 2 pistol shrimp. They are pretty cool. I just buy more CUC every 6 months or so.

#CUCLivesMatter

 

[lbiminiblue]

Suspect apprehended!

Amazed at how tiny it is after all these years. After he spooked a new diamondback goby to death, I figured it was time. Seems he had taken up residence in a new rock. I almost missed him when I went to go flush the rock outside, he nearly slipped into the gaps between pavers.

Still alive, so I tossed him into the refugium where hopefully he can serve a life sentence in peace.

Any ID on him? Clearly blue-tiger striped, but ridiculously small after years and years of being in the tank.

 

[lbiminiblue]

Bump! Really want to know what this is.

 

[W1ngz]

Green Banded Snapping Shrimp?

 

[W1ngz]

https://singapore.biodiversity.online/species/A-Arth-Crus-Decapoda-000079

 

[lbiminiblue]

Has to be. Thank you!

 

[PeterEde]

Suspect apprehended!

Amazed at how tiny it is after all these years. After he spooked a new diamondback goby to death, I figured it was time. Seems he had taken up residence in a new rock. I almost missed him when I went to go flush the rock outside, he nearly slipped into the gaps between pavers.

Still alive, so I tossed him into the refugium where hopefully he can serve a life sentence in peace.

Any ID on him? Clearly blue-tiger striped, but ridiculously small after years and years of being in the tank.

Finally saw one of my pistols last night poke its head out a hole. Striped like yours. It's small and I know there's a larger one I see at times.
I have confirmed 2 pistols and at least one mantis in my tank.
I had a large Sleeper Goby go belly up on me. Wonder one of those was the reason

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

I can't stand that cracking sound I had some once and got rid of them... when I go diving thats all you hear under water

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I can't stand that cracking sound I had some once and got rid of them... when I go diving thats all you hear under water

I always hear the parrotfish chomping algae off the rocks

 

[PeterEde]

I can't stand that cracking sound I had some once and got rid of them... when I go diving thats all you hear under water

I thought that was just grabs