pistol shrimp disappeared

[sw3ll3r3]

I have had a pistol shrimp for 3 days. I put him in Sunday evening and he did his thing he dug some burrows. Monday he was just hiding in his burrow. Monday night no pistol shrimp and all the burrows were getting filled. Today I just couldn't help it I moved all my rock and couldn't find the little guy. All I found was a dwarf crab holding his Claw. Do they burrow underneath the sand?

 

[sw3ll3r3]

And a leg

 

[Beengirl]

Are you sure it wasn't a molt that the crab was holding? The molts look EXACTLY like them, just a little paler. Crabs and shrimp tend to molt within the first few days of being in a new tank. My pistol lives entirely in the sand; only see his whole body when he's shoving a pile of sand out if the burrow. And the burrow openings closing up isn't a problem, if he's ok, he'll work on opening them again soon. Hope he's okay.

 

[sw3ll3r3]

Are you sure it wasn't a molt that the crab was holding? The molts look EXACTLY like them, just a little paler. Crabs and shrimp tend to molt within the first few days of being in a new tank. My pistol lives entirely in the sand; only see his whole body when he's shoving a pile of sand out if the burrow. And the burrow openings closing up isn't a problem, if he's ok, he'll work on opening them again soon. Hope he's okay.

Well I found a big piece of his body in my rock recently, it looked like he was ripped in half. Could my emerald crabs have done this or is it a molt?

 

[pairenoid]

probably molt, i thought my crab was ripped in half turns out it was just molted

also i havent seen my shrimp since i bought him, once every few days ill see his antannae but other than that hes in my burrows for life lol

 

[sw3ll3r3]

probably molt, i thought my crab was ripped in half turns out it was just molted

also i havent seen my shrimp since i bought him, once every few days ill see his antannae but other than that hes in my burrows for life lol

Can they actually live under the sand?

 

[Beengirl]

Can they actually live under the sand?

Yes. That's where they live- the sand protects them. Water flows through the sand, and they breath the oxygen in The water. Some fish (like wrasses) will go into the sand when they're scared or to sleep, sometimes for days. Like I said, I rarely see my pistol come entirely out of the burrow, unless he's excavating. Ill see his antennae stick out of the burrow opening at dinnertime cuz I've trained my fish that when the PHs turn off, it's time to eat. So then he comes to the burrow opening when the PHs go off.

 

[sw3ll3r3]

Yes. That's where they live- the sand protects them. Water flows through the sand, and they breath the oxygen in The water. Some fish (like wrasses) will go into the sand when they're scared or to sleep, sometimes for days. Like I said, I rarely see my pistol come entirely out of the burrow, unless he's excavating. Ill see his antennae stick out of the burrow opening at dinnertime cuz I've trained my fish that when the PHs turn off, it's time to eat. So then he comes to the burrow opening when the PHs go off.

Oh okay I thought the just dug under the rocks, I didn't know they actually go underneath the sand

 

[pairenoid]

Yes. That's where they live- the sand protects them. Water flows through the sand, and they breath the oxygen in The water. Some fish (like wrasses) will go into the sand when they're scared or to sleep, sometimes for days. Like I said, I rarely see my pistol come entirely out of the burrow, unless he's excavating. Ill see his antennae stick out of the burrow opening at dinnertime cuz I've trained my fish that when the PHs turn off, it's time to eat. So then he comes to the burrow opening when the PHs go off.

now that i realized, i think the most i ever saw my shrimp was when i turned off the ph and dropped the pellets into the cave i knew he was in

but when i turn the ph off my clownfish WONT EAT!!! its so annoying omg. He has a powerhead fetish or something, when its not on the food can be right in his face and he wont even look at it

 

[Crystal A]

Try a steak injector! No jokes I have all my fish including the pistol and cleaner shrimp trained to eat from it! It's happy time when they see the injector.