Captive bred pistol shrimp?

LacroixBoy

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 15, 2025
Messages
41
Reaction score
14
Location
Massachusetts
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hey folks I’ve got a decent tank up and running and one of the things I’ve always wanted was a pistol shrimp-goby pair. However, I’m also dedicated to making my tank captive-bred only (or aquaculture, mariculture, etc).

I’ve seen shrimp gobies available captive bred but I haven’t come across any pistol shrimp.

Has anyone found or know of a source for them?

Thanks!
 

Stomatopods17

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 29, 2022
Messages
627
Reaction score
626
Location
US
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
None.

Shrimp in general are incredibly difficult to keep the fry alive. Pistol Shrimp are difficult to get pairs of without territorial problems or same sex.
 

ISpeakForTheSeas

7500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 22, 2021
Messages
9,362
Reaction score
10,745
Location
United States
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hey folks I’ve got a decent tank up and running and one of the things I’ve always wanted was a pistol shrimp-goby pair. However, I’m also dedicated to making my tank captive-bred only (or aquaculture, mariculture, etc).

I’ve seen shrimp gobies available captive bred but I haven’t come across any pistol shrimp.

Has anyone found or know of a source for them?

Thanks!
Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a source for them yet, and there's very little little research into the topic of culturing them (IIRC, most available research is on non-goby pairing species, and is from the around the 70's).
 

gobby

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 9, 2021
Messages
14
Reaction score
7
Location
San Jose
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hey folks I’ve got a decent tank up and running and one of the things I’ve always wanted was a pistol shrimp-goby pair. However, I’m also dedicated to making my tank captive-bred only (or aquaculture, mariculture, etc).

I’ve seen shrimp gobies available captive bred but I haven’t come across any pistol shrimp.

Has anyone found or know of a source for them?

Thanks!
Only one species, alpheus heterochaelis has been bred in labs. They are unique compared to other species of the genus Alpheus has their larval stage only takes 3-5 days and they don't eat until they become sublarvae and at that point can eat whatever adult shrimp eat so it is a candidate for the easiest large marine crustacean to breed. They are easily available off florida so there's no incentive breeding them as the demand isn't high.
Refer to my post here for more info: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/experience-with-alpheus-heterochaelis.1101045/post-13480524
 

Omikayalan

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 9, 2025
Messages
38
Reaction score
20
Location
Barcelona
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hey folks I’ve got a decent tank up and running and one of the things I’ve always wanted was a pistol shrimp-goby pair. However, I’m also dedicated to making my tank captive-bred only (or aquaculture, mariculture, etc).

I’ve seen shrimp gobies available captive bred but I haven’t come across any pistol shrimp.

Has anyone found or know of a source for them?

Thanks!
I don't know, but i'm about to try. They should hatch this week.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20250403_221722.jpg
    IMG_20250403_221722.jpg
    153 KB · Views: 57

Kasrift

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 2, 2022
Messages
16,590
Reaction score
29,526
Location
San Diego
Rating - 100%
3   0   0
I don't know, but i'm about to try. They should hatch this week.
The problem as already stated is the larval stage for a lot of shrimp and crab (even some snails) has them in a planktonic state, so the larva are free floating and our mechanical filtration will kill most of them. You'd need to have a Kreisal (jellyfish) tank, phyto, rotifer, pods, bbs and a lot of luck/patience to get them to the point where they are walking.

This is even true of larger shrimp species like skunk cleaners. Mine hatched like clockwork and I tried a few times of scooping the babies and raising them in a 2g tank. It didn't work.
 

Omikayalan

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 9, 2025
Messages
38
Reaction score
20
Location
Barcelona
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The problem as already stated is the larval stage for a lot of shrimp and crab (even some snails) has them in a planktonic state, so the larva are free floating and our mechanical filtration will kill most of them. You'd need to have a Kreisal (jellyfish) tank, phyto, rotifer, pods, bbs and a lot of luck/patience to get them to the point where they are walking.

This is even true of larger shrimp species like skunk cleaners. Mine hatched like clockwork and I tried a few times of scooping the babies and raising them in a 2g tank. It didn't work.
Wish me luck then. This will be their tank, i am building a low cost set up for them and I already know someone who can sell me copepod nauplii and all kinds of live food. Also, my nassa rius distortus snails also bred. When they hatch they look like tiny dots floating around (they were very cute, i made a post about them). Somehow, some survived and now i have tiny white snails climbing the glass. I do not know how they made it, but some did. will update here.
IMG_20250414_115135.jpg
 
Last edited:

Omikayalan

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 9, 2025
Messages
38
Reaction score
20
Location
Barcelona
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The problem as already stated is the larval stage for a lot of shrimp and crab (even some snails) has them in a planktonic state, so the larva are free floating and our mechanical filtration will kill most of them. You'd need to have a Kreisal (jellyfish) tank, phyto, rotifer, pods, bbs and a lot of luck/patience to get them to the point where they are walking.

This is even true of larger shrimp species like skunk cleaners. Mine hatched like clockwork and I tried a few times of scooping the babies and raising them in a 2g tank. It didn't work.
Do you think this is enough aereation/flow? I am setting up the tank but i have no clue. Could you tell me what you think please?
 

Attachments

  • VID_20250416_190724.mp4
    10.6 MB

Omikayalan

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 9, 2025
Messages
38
Reaction score
20
Location
Barcelona
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hey folks I’ve got a decent tank up and running and one of the things I’ve always wanted was a pistol shrimp-goby pair. However, I’m also dedicated to making my tank captive-bred only (or aquaculture, mariculture, etc).

I’ve seen shrimp gobies available captive bred but I haven’t come across any pistol shrimp.

Has anyone found or know of a source for them?

Thanks!
Baby pistol shrimp just spawned!
 

Attachments

  • VID_20250419_213934~2.mp4
    16.2 MB

TOP 10 Trending Threads

WHAT AMOUNT OF LIVE ROCK AND SAND SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED FOR OPTIMAL BIODIVERSITY/FILTRATION?

  • 100% live rock + bagged sand

    Votes: 37 27.8%
  • 100% dry rock + 100% live sand

    Votes: 45 33.8%
  • 50/50 live/dry rock, 50/50 live/bagged sand

    Votes: 29 21.8%
  • 75% live rock, 25% live sand

    Votes: 12 9.0%
  • 25% live rock, 75% live sand

    Votes: 10 7.5%
Back
Top