What shrimp is this?

[dansemacabre]

Came on my [acronym:9a01252559="Live rock"]lr[/acronym:9a01252559].com liverock. There are 2 more of these that appear dead. This guy doesn't look like he's doing so hot, but he's sitting around filter-feeding in the tupperware (or so it seems, his mouth is moving a million miles an hour). If you cannot tell from the pic, he's red with a white stripe down his back. I coulda SWORE he had claws earlier, and I did hear a pop come from the large container..but there's still a few shrimp to investigate in there, and some baby crabs. This little shrimp has no claws I can see...perhaps he popped them off to distract me?

[reefrunner69]

Looks like a small skunk cleaner, there is a species that is from the carribean, I believe. Need a better pic to be sure.

[dansemacabre]

The other 2 shrimp this size have no claws, and were dead. There are many tiny shrimp, all of which did not make it, and they all have large left claws. One resembling the living one with a stripe has a large left claw. It's brown though, and not red, but it is a baby.

There's also an EVIL looking crab that may or may not wake up...every now and then he moves a leg. It's got a red main shell, and red/white legs. If he survives, until somebody takes him, his name is "Satan".

[dansemacabre]

You have no idea how difficult that picture was to take. I'll strive for a better one. I put him in the main tank (in the tupperware, floating) so that he would not get cold. It seems as though he's waken up considerably, and he's walking all around the container. I'll try to take a better pic.

[dansemacabre]

There appear to be no missing limbs. He has ity bity claw-like arms, but he uses them for picking stuff off his legs. I can't get a better pic, he's simply too small. All the dead shrimp that are tiny and have the large left claws (some with a bluish hue), were those mantis? Or possibly pistol? I didn't want either, but I'm just curious. It does not appear as though much life came, and what did appears to have not survived. Including two baby brittles stars. Hopefully more will show itself as the sand cloud settles, but so far I've not seen much of anything. A tiny urchin looks as though it may have died, though it's still sticking to the rock...there are some beautiful things, I think they're encrusting sponges, and they're pretty cool.

[yaksplat]

Definitely a Pistol Shrimp. I have the exact same one in my tank. Red and white stripes with blue legs. mines about 2" long now. Man can he pop!

Jim

[reefrunner69]

Definitely a Pistol Shrimp

I would assume then the lack of a large claw would indicate this one is the female...cool!!

[dansemacabre]

Yes, he does have blue legs! Well, she I suppose! Red, with a bright white stripe down the middle. Is she safe to go in, since she has no "pistol"? The crabs did not make it, nor did the little tiny shrimps. OK though, they mostly appear to be mantis and pistols. They have one enlarged claw. There's what appears to be a male pistol. The tiny one I mentioned...he might make it. Are they dangerous to a reef setup? The other large shrimp that didn't make it where reddish. One appeared to be carrying eggs (lots of black specks under her abdomen). Wish they'd made it . I've since found 3 dead brittle stars, I'm hoping some are alive in the rock. I found a CRAB hiding in a cave in the rock, the sneaky little sucker. Not much is moving, as the sand cloud is beginning to settle, and I don't have the lighting canopy quite completed. I might pull the 6 [acronym:0f31de285a="Normal Output Fluorescents"]NO[/acronym:0f31de285a] hoods I have and set them on the eggcrate to give a little light. Anyways, what to do with this apparently female pistol shrimp?

[firerescue2002]

There's also an EVIL looking crab that may or may not wake up...every now and then he moves a leg.

This guy could be molting.... If you want to keep him leave him alone if you can he will either molt or if he was disturbed too much die. I would recommend putting him in [acronym:e62f4ea1a3="quarantine or quart depending on context"]QT[/acronym:e62f4ea1a3] so other inhabitansts wont bother him during this process. This will also make clean-up easier if he passes. Also if you want to keep him post a pic so we can make an [acronym:e62f4ea1a3="Identify"]ID[/acronym:e62f4ea1a3] for you to determine if it is reef safe or compatable with your current or future planned inhabitants.


[acronym:e62f4ea1a3="Hope this helps (or) Happy to help"]HTH[/acronym:e62f4ea1a3],
Andrew

[liverocks727]

That is definitely a Pistol shrimp. I have 3 pairs in my office tank there great, (30) [acronym:ffab5257d1="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:ffab5257d1]. "Ron of Triton"