How do I catch a pistol shrimp?????

[xxkenny90xx]

That's enough, I'm done. This guy has got to go. He's a killer. I can't keep any other burrowing fish or bottom dwelling fish. First my very large dragonet that I had for years eventually wandered to the wrong spot and got snapped and killed. Now the same thing has happened to my engineer goby. Both fish were found dead with their heads sticking out of his burrow.

I need to catch it. Will a standard bottle fish trap work for such a timid shrimp? Or what have you all used?

Also, should I get rid of his mate, the yellow watchman goby as well or will it be happy without the shrimp?

 

[KJ]

wandered to the wrong spot and got snapped and killed.

Did you witness your shrimp doing this? Or maybe something else is doing it and the shrimp is dragging the dead fish to his cave.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

Did you witness your shrimp doing this? Or maybe something else is doing it and the shrimp is dragging the dead fish to his cave.

There are no other suspects in my tank. But no I didn't witness it and the engineer goby was only in the tank a couple of weeks so it could've died another way. But the dragonet we had had for a long time and it was healthy. Is it unheard of for a pistol shrimp to kill fish?

 

[Katrina71]

Have you tried target feeding your pistol?

 

[KJ]

Any pic of the shrimp?

 

[KJ]

Have you tried target feeding your pistol?

Katrina you really don't have to.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

Pics will be tough, he's on his own schedule. But he's white and brown like this

 

[xxkenny90xx]

I've target fed a couple of times but typically I don't

 

[Katrina71]

Katrina you really don't have to.

We don't.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

There are no other suspects in my tank. But no I didn't witness it and the engineer goby was only in the tank a couple of weeks so it could've died another way. But the dragonet we had had for a long time and it was healthy. Is it unheard of for a pistol shrimp to kill fish?

If I recall correctly, pistol shrimp are almost blind and the partner fish is its eyes, so to speak. I have pistol shrimp in all of my tanks and never had an issue. Even when other fish get close. My gobies usually are the aggressors at that point, but only by puffing up and bouncing around.

I honestly do not think it’s the shrimp killing things.

 

[Katrina71]

If I recall correctly, pistol shrimp are almost blind and the partner fish is its eyes, so to speak. I have pistol shrimp in all of my tanks and never had an issue. Even when other fish get close. My gobies usually are the aggressors at that point, but only by puffing up and bouncing around.

I honestly do not think it’s the shrimp killing things.

+1 I'd put money on the goby

 

[xxkenny90xx]

Found one!

 

[xxkenny90xx]

+1 I'd put money on the goby

The goby is tiny (like 1.25") and very skittish. I don't think it's the killer. OK I have to ask, what is the snapping claw designed for if it isn't to keep other fish out of its burrow?

 

[Eagle_Steve]

+1 I'd put money on the goby

I have numerous types of gobies for each pistol in each tank, and they only puff up the fins and bounce around and run in and out of the hole. This includes a 6” pink spot goby. And seeing the pic, that watchman is small. For it to kill an engineer goby would be a mad task for it. The dragonet, if healthy should have been fine towards aggression from a watchman that size. They are quick and can pack their own punch if needed.

It does need to noted, the shrimp will drag dead fish to the hole. I had a 9 year old chromis kick the bucket and caught the shrimp struggling to drag the fish back when it landed on the sand near the hole. (Fish was sucked against a mp40 and when I freed it, I dropped it)

 

[Katrina71]

Our goby is a beast.

 

[KJ]

You have some species of pistol shrimp that prey on small fish and shrimps. Yours is not one of these shrimp.

 

[Katrina71]

KJ knows his stuff.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

You have some species of pistol shrimp that prey on small fish and shrimps.

That is correct. The tiger pistol shrimp, from my experience is not one of those. The bubble bullets, as I call them, are not the greatest. They are more for a deterrent than a weapon on normal sized things. My tiger pistol has “shot” at small cleaner shrimp and it only scares them. Not saying it could not happen though.

 

[Thespammailaccount]

How do you catch a pistol shrimp? You walk up to the tank and say claws up this is a stick up

 

[KJ]

Found one!

Great looking couple