Big Claw Pistol Shrimp aka Alpheus Heterochaelis Dilemma

[Central_FL_Reefer]

Hello Everyone,

I recently purchased a pistol shrimp from my LFS and they assured me that it would pair with a diamond goby. I take them home and compare it to my pistol in another tank and they look very different. After doing some research I found that I got a big claw pistol shrimp aka Atlantic aka Alpheus heterochaelis and they will not pair with a goby and one source I found said they will actively hunt gobies. I have attached a photo of a similar shrimp I got off texassaltwaterfishingmagazine.com

My main questions are:
Will my goby be safe in the tank once they are out of quarantine?
Would I be able to add an appropriate shrimp to the tank if the one in there now does not pose a risk?
If its not safe, what is the best way to catch it? A bottle trap so far has been ineffective, only catching one snail.

If anyone has any input or experience, any information would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Dread Pirate Dave]

Tampa Bay Saltwater says they wont harm fish but hermits and snails will be considered snacks. lol

Pistol Shrimp – Alpheus heterochaelis – Tampa Bay Saltwater

 

[Stomatopods17]

I've seen communals of this species with others of its kind.

Never with a goby though.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

As long as it gets enough to eat and you have enough space in your tank for both shrimp to set up separate burrows outside of each other's territory, I'd imagine it wouldn't pose a problem for you - I'm just not sure how best to feed it:

Yeah, Alpheus heterochaelis won't pair with a goby - they actually pair with Atlantic Mud Crabs (Panopeus herbstii):

Just pointing this out, Alpehus heterochaelis is actually a known filter feeder, not a predator:

"Along the U.S. mid-Atlantic seaboard, the bigclaw snapping shrimp, Alpheus heterochaelis (Say), is associated with intertidal and shallow subtidal soft-sediment habitats (e.g., oyster reefs and mudflats) and is reported to be restricted to shallow burrows and depressions beneath oyster shells adjacent to salt marsh habitat (Hay and Shore, 1915; Williams, 1965; Nolan and Salmon, 1970; Lippson and Lippson, 1984; Williams, 1984). These shrimp are relatively sedentary, filter feeding from within their shelter from waters drawn into burrows by paddling with modified pleopods (Nolan and Salmon, 1970; Lippson and Lippson, 1984)."*

"Alpheus heterochaelis, another filter feeder, is commonly found among shells (Williams 1984)"**

Symbiosis between an Alpheid Shrimp and a Xanthoid Crab in Salt Marshes of Mid-Atlantic States, U.S.A.

Abstract. Instances of mutualism and commensalism between alpheid shrimp and other marine invertebrates and fish are common in tropical waters. In this stu

academic.oup.com

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232430934_The_role_of_oysters_in_habitat_use_of_oyster_reefs_by_resident_fishes_and_decapod_crustaceans

 

[Mickle]

How has it been? I have collected this species from the wild, found living with Naked Gobies (Gobiosoma bosc). Not sure if they have a symbiotic relation with the naked gobies or if the gobies just take advantage of the vast burrows. They get pretty big and are aggressive from my experience

 

[Central_FL_Reefer]

How has it been? I have collected this species from the wild, found living with Naked Gobies (Gobiosoma bosc). Not sure if they have a symbiotic relation with the naked gobies or if the gobies just take advantage of the vast burrows. They get pretty big and are aggressive from my experience

So far, it has been minding its own business. I also got a tiger pistol a week or so later and the seem to keep to themselves. One strange thing about the tiger pistol is it is living exclusively in the rockwork. I have yet to see it in the sand.