How does your Pistol Shrimp graze?

[nautical_nathaniel]

I'm not sure I've ever sat and watched one of my pistol shrimps eat. Usually they just sorta grab some mysis or pellets and take them into their burrow when I feed the fish.

But today mine decided to do a little daytime grazing and roped my Goby into lookout duty away from the burrow while it awkwardly ate some algae directly off of the rock.

For your viewing pleasure:

Has anyone else ever seen anything like this?

It just seems silly to me how it actively leans into whatever it is eating instead of using its small claw to grab and tear off stuff.

 

[tzabor10]

Looks amazing. I never thought about how they eat.

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

Looks amazing. I never thought about how they eat.

Right!? I was expecting this:

Not this:

 

[overhead]

When I turn the pumps off to feed the pistol shrimp usually pops out of this hole in the rock and grabs food as it floats by. Crabs often hang out near the hole which leads to lots of snapping. Not sure why it does not go by the goby at the opening of the burrow, but it does not. Your video is much more interesting, lol