pistol?

[Snappy]

I think I've got a pistol in my tank. I can see a big white claw through a hole in a rock where it is hiding, however it has smaller pincers on the end. Reminds me of Popeye with the big fore arm and small hand. Does that sound like a pistol to any of you more experienced guru's out there?
All the signs seem to point that way including the clicking noises.
Greg

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

Check out this site.

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/pistolshrimps.htm

[hockey nut]

Sounds like a pistol.

Too bad they can't keep a beat. .............. :Fade-col:

[Snappy]

Weird, I checked on my tank this morning to find that rock rubble is stuffed into the hole in the rock where I could see it last night shining in a high power flashlight. I guess it likes it's privacy.

[GobiGurl]

Did you find out what it was in your tank because I think I have the same thing in mine :eek:

http://www.blueboard.com/mantis/images/strike3f1.gif

http://www.blueboard.com/mantis/pics/full/caldwell_shining_mini1.jpg

http://www.nightsea.com/mantis/shrimp_vid.jpg

OMG I'm not sticking my hands in there again HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[danny zubot]

Does that sound like a pistol to any of you more experienced guru's out there?

Sound is the key Greg, unfortunately they mostly use their pistol claw for defense or hunting so a happy pistol is a quiet pistol. Another thing to look for is little piles of sand around the base of your rocks from its digging. Watching these is the only way I can tell if mine is still alive. Sometimes I'll see puffs of sand flow up from beside the rockwork, thats where the pistol has been working.

Do you have a watchman goby?

Speaking of evasive creatures, I saw my Olive snail today for the 3rd time in as many months! :biggrin:

[fresh]

the pics that gobigurl posted are pics of a mantis shrimp and not a pistol shrimp!!!

I am a bit confused as to who has what ;)

Anyhow, pistol shrimp good, mantis shrimp bad (or good, depending on what you want your tank to be!).

I had a mantis before, and my friend kept 2 big ones, and they are a fascinating animal as long as you keep them alone. They will kill everything else in the tank sooner or later. They are EXTREMELY aggressive.

What I had noticed though is the sound they make while digging is very similar to the sound the pistol shrimp makes while firing up his gun!!!

just my $0.02

Fresh.