My Pistol shrimp is killing everything

Basile · 11-21-2008, 07:46 AM

It like having Dr Jekill and Mr Hyde in my tank. First snails, then my Yellow whatchman and his replacement another watchman. How can i catch that little B... and take him back to the LFS.I got him about 5 month ago. And it seem to be fine at first but 2 fish now thats enough! Any suggestions

dennyamy · 11-21-2008, 09:04 AM

can you bait him with some food in a net?

chipmunkofdoom2 · 11-21-2008, 10:36 AM

Are you 100% SURE it's the pistol shrimp? I'm not terribly familiar with them, but I don't think they'd be able to take out a watchman, unless there's a HUGE size difference. It sounds more like a mantis to me...

jski711 · 11-21-2008, 11:45 AM

I would say mantis as well. I have a pistol in my tank with 4 other shrimp tons of snails and crabs. Check out the tank at night and see what u can find!!!

chipmunkofdoom2 · 11-21-2008, 12:28 PM

Where did you get your rock from? Any rock can have a mantis, but I hear that TBS and other Caribbean rock is a lot more prone.

Also, just cuz the tank's been up for a while doesn't mean there isn't a mantis. This one guy on another forum had his 125 reef up for over a year and a half before he realized he had a mantis.

SeaLover · 11-21-2008, 12:55 PM

I have had a pistol and watchman for about 2 years. My pistol has never harmed anything!

I would be sure 100% its the pistol before I would take him back. They are very docile. My pistol will even crawl all over the goby an the goby is so playful an will just kick him off. lol

reefjitsu · 11-21-2008, 04:22 PM

There are many kinds of pistol shrimp and some of them will definately kill fish. Not all of the pistol shrimps will form sybiotic relationships and even the ones that do should only be trusted not to harm their respective symbiotic partner species.

cheeks69 · 11-21-2008, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reefjitsu

There are many kinds of pistol shrimp and some of them will definately kill fish. Not all of the pistol shrimps will form sybiotic relationships and even the ones that do should only be trusted not to harm their respective symbiotic partner species.

Ditto !
Any of the Atlantic sp. in particular !
Can you tell us which sp. you have ?

Dentoid · 11-21-2008, 06:15 PM

Pistol shrimps are capable and will kill and eat a symbiotic or potential symbiotic partner goby. Unless you purchased the two already as a pair, there is no guarantee that the two will pair-up.

There are prerequisites to pairing pistols and gobies. As Robert eluded to, pairing species that match well and are known to pair. Matching size between the symbionts is important. Smaller species shrimp with smaller species goby and vice versa.

The goby's appearance is also key. Here is a quote from an article written by Professor Ellen Thaler, Coral magazine, Dec. '07/Jan. '08, Vol. 4, Num. 6; page 35:

Quote:

...The fish (goby) should not appear emaciated. In particular, the shape of the stomach must be convex (bulging to the outside) not concave (curving to the inside). Emaciated fish are rarely active, and will thus not react naturally toward pistol shrimp-which, in turn, makes the shrimp see them not as a partner, but as prey.

Therefore, it's important to ensure that the goby is healthy and well fed before attempting to marry the two.

yungreefer2410 · 11-21-2008, 07:22 PM

no shrimp stands a chance in my tank! my 2.5in sixline thats 2-3 yrs old killed a 5 in cb in one day. there was shrimp parts all over the tank!

Dentoid · 11-21-2008, 07:23 PM

So it was a shrimp yard sale!

yungreefer2410 · 11-21-2008, 08:05 PM

it was!! lol

Basile · 11-22-2008, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chipmunkofdoom2

Are you 100% SURE it's the pistol shrimp? I'm not terribly familiar with them, but I don't think they'd be able to take out a watchman, unless there's a HUGE size difference. It sounds more like a mantis to me...

That's the Killer

The yellow watchman usually for a symbiosis with those guys usually, it did for a while but then...and it got its replacement who was smaller. How do i trap it.any ideals.

Basile · 11-22-2008, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheeks69

Ditto !
Any of the Atlantic sp. in particular !
Can you tell us which sp. you have ?

Thats the guySometime called the bullseye shrimp.Any ideals how to trap him. They paired up for 4 months no problem. Could it be because it was hungry?? How do i trap him. He'll go back to the LFS.

Basile · 11-22-2008, 08:13 PM

[quote=SeaLover;565542]I have had a pistol and watchman for about 2 years. My pistol has never harmed anything!

I would be sure 100% its the pistol before I would take him back. They are very docile. My pistol will even crawl all over the goby an the goby is so playful an will just kick him off. lol

Yes they where quite a pair , i don't know why, but the shrimp became more agressive, Could it be because she wasn't fed enough, was hungry? I give her a piece of sole every 2 day, a faire chunk.She takes it from a pair of tongues is use(not my finger lol) But she clicks at everything. snails, fish ...

11-21-2008, 07:46 AM	#1 (permalink)
Basile Reef Lobster Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Gatineau/Ottawa canada Posts: 1,420 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	My Pistol shrimp is killing everything It like having Dr Jekill and Mr Hyde in my tank. First snails, then my Yellow whatchman and his replacement another watchman. How can i catch that little B... and take him back to the LFS.I got him about 5 month ago. And it seem to be fine at first but 2 fish now thats enough! Any suggestions __________________ My Rockwork Macroalgae Club. Seahorses tank My slow 65 g build up Combination fish and Anemone

11-21-2008, 09:04 AM	#2 (permalink)
dennyamy Bryozoan Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Carlisle PA Posts: 50 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: My Pistol shrimp is killing everything can you bait him with some food in a net?

11-21-2008, 10:36 AM	#3 (permalink)
chipmunkofdoom2 Harlequin Tuskfish Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Stewartstown, PA Posts: 960 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: My Pistol shrimp is killing everything Are you 100% SURE it's the pistol shrimp? I'm not terribly familiar with them, but I don't think they'd be able to take out a watchman, unless there's a HUGE size difference. It sounds more like a mantis to me...

11-21-2008, 11:45 AM	#4 (permalink)
jski711 Torch coral Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: NW Burbs of Chicago Posts: 504 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: My Pistol shrimp is killing everything I would say mantis as well. I have a pistol in my tank with 4 other shrimp tons of snails and crabs. Check out the tank at night and see what u can find!!!

11-21-2008, 12:28 PM	#5 (permalink)
chipmunkofdoom2 Harlequin Tuskfish Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Stewartstown, PA Posts: 960 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: My Pistol shrimp is killing everything Where did you get your rock from? Any rock can have a mantis, but I hear that TBS and other Caribbean rock is a lot more prone. Also, just cuz the tank's been up for a while doesn't mean there isn't a mantis. This one guy on another forum had his 125 reef up for over a year and a half before he realized he had a mantis.

11-21-2008, 12:55 PM	#6 (permalink)
SeaLover Scopas Tang Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 458 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: My Pistol shrimp is killing everything I have had a pistol and watchman for about 2 years. My pistol has never harmed anything! I would be sure 100% its the pistol before I would take him back. They are very docile. My pistol will even crawl all over the goby an the goby is so playful an will just kick him off. lol __________________ 75 Gallon Reef (Established 6: years old) Salinity 1.026 (Refractometer) DKH-8 P.H-8.1 Calcium-450 ppm Magnesium-1400 Lighting-48 inch 2 150 W HQI 10,000k 4 65 w pc Actinics Lunar lights 1 Maroon Clown, 1 Blue Tang, 1 Royal Gramma. Pulsating Xenia's, frogspawn, asst mushrooms, neon green recordia, pom pom xenia's, button polyps, green star polyps, bubble coral and few different types of zoa's. (Eagle eyes, Orange Bam bam's, Leprechaun eyes, yellow sunflowers)

11-21-2008, 04:22 PM	#7 (permalink)
reefjitsu Plate Coral Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: The Magic City Posts: 756 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: My Pistol shrimp is killing everything There are many kinds of pistol shrimp and some of them will definately kill fish. Not all of the pistol shrimps will form sybiotic relationships and even the ones that do should only be trusted not to harm their respective symbiotic partner species. __________________ You can't give up hope just because it's hopeless. You got to keep on hoping and cover your ears and go "blah blah blah blah"- Futurama

11-22-2008, 08:13 PM	#15 (permalink)
Basile Reef Lobster Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Gatineau/Ottawa canada Posts: 1,420 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: My Pistol shrimp is killing everything [quote=SeaLover;565542]I have had a pistol and watchman for about 2 years. My pistol has never harmed anything! I would be sure 100% its the pistol before I would take him back. They are very docile. My pistol will even crawl all over the goby an the goby is so playful an will just kick him off. lol Yes they where quite a pair , i don't know why, but the shrimp became more agressive, Could it be because she wasn't fed enough, was hungry? I give her a piece of sole every 2 day, a faire chunk.She takes it from a pair of tongues is use(not my finger lol) But she clicks at everything. snails, fish ... __________________ My Rockwork Macroalgae Club. Seahorses tank My slow 65 g build up Combination fish and Anemone

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