Pistol Shrimp Serial Killer

Pittsford_Pets · Jan 16, 2018

I’ve never heard about or have seen a pistol shrimp do what I just saw happen. During feeding, all of my hermits came from the rock work to get some sinking pellets. I’m looking at this one hermit that’s near the glass, just trying to get some breakfast... Out of nowhere, my pistol shrimp darts towards it, snatches it up in its claws, and takes it into its burrow. Then I hear the loud clicking of its claw several times... Have you had this happen before?

MaiReef · Jan 16, 2018

Sounds neat

Mombo · Jan 16, 2018

.... I need a pistol shrimp... I have heard they can kill things with those clicks though

Pittsford_Pets · Jan 16, 2018

When I was redoing my scape I lifted up the rock they were under and found a ton of hermit and Nessarius shells. Hmm

Mombo · Jan 16, 2018

Haha that’s awesome. Although I might be upset if he took a liking to my trochus snails

Pittsford_Pets · Jan 16, 2018

Mombo said:
Haha that’s awesome. Although I might be upset if he took a liking to my trochus snails

He killed the hermit that I had in my tank since June haha, sad but what can I do about it

HOOPDEEZ · Jan 16, 2018

What type of pistol shrimp is it?

Pittsford_Pets · Jan 16, 2018

HOOPDEEZ said:
What type of pistol shrimp is it?

He’s a Tiger Pistol Shrimp

reeferfoxx · Jan 16, 2018

I had a firefish dart into the shrimp and goby hole once. Heard a loud snap and never saw the firefish again.

E's gone SPS mad · Jan 16, 2018

Ive had my pistol shrimp for about 3 years. He once had a goby with him.... He once had many snails with him... he once had many friends. But Pistol Pete likes to eat his friends. People said i was crazy and that they are reef friendly. I don't doubt there are nice ones but mine is a predator. Feed him little pieces of shrimp a few times a week to keep him "friendly".

And if you are able to catch him please teach me your ways!! This pistol shrimp has made it through 2 tank moves.... The clicks are a nightly habit of his now, he likes to remind me that he is still in there.

Pittsford_Pets · Jan 16, 2018

He lives near my clown’s anemone, every time the clown swims near the opening I get scared

radiata · Jan 17, 2018

Snapping Shrimp Stun Prey with Flashy Bang
https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2001/10/1003_SnappingShrimp.html

The above piece doesn't seem to mention what their "prey" actually is, BUT nobody is feeding them PE Mysis in the ocean...

Caveat emptor!

Colin Levy · Jan 17, 2018

I have a tiger pistol shrimp as well. he is the devil.

Seen him a few times drag small blue legged crabs into his cave.

I stopped trying to save them. Was too much work.

GoldeneyeRet · Jan 17, 2018

I once had a tiger pistol go rogue and start killing fish, including his own goby pair.

carlo_oz · Jan 17, 2018

Pittsford_Pets said:
I’ve never heard about or have seen a pistol shrimp do what I just saw happen. During feeding, all of my hermits came from the rock work to get some sinking pellets. I’m looking at this one hermit that’s near the glass, just trying to get some breakfast... Out of nowhere, my pistol shrimp darts towards it, snatches it up in its claws, and takes it into its burrow. Then I hear the loud clicking of its claw several times... Have you had this happen before?

The same thing happened to me when my yasha goby died. It went crazy moving all the sand at first. Then went I would try to pair it again with a goby. The shrimp would kill it.

O yeah I 2 had the tiger pistol shrimp

cmcoker · Jan 17, 2018

I've got a tiger pistol with no deaths attributed to him..
They want rubble and shells to shore up their tunnels, I buy empty shells and dump them next to his burrow every once and a while, as well as little rubble rock and frag plugs. Don't know if it made a difference or just got lucky. I have seen him pick up a hermit and take it in the burrow, but I have seen them crawl out in a short time.

BootyPup · Jan 19, 2018

My Tiger pistol shrimp as never killed any fish, now hermits and snails that's another story, mine just likes the shells, but he will only kill them if they come too close to his rock, but even then he probably wont. My clownfish and blue/green reef chromis all sleep on his rock and travel in it and around it and they don't get harmed, mine is friendly other than killing the odd hermits and snails.
Oh also maybe once every 1-4 months I will give him half a silver side to eat just as a treat since he does like those... he doesn't care for live fish though.