Reef Lobster?

[Raleighfishnerd]

So the past couple days I have noticed little piles of sand and rubble in front of tiny caves. Couldn't figure out what was doing it till I saw this little guy pushing piles around



Can't get a pic but from under the tank I can see him much better in his caves he has dug all the way to the glass

 

[Raleighfishnerd]

Just looked and I now see the little guy has befriended my yellow watchman goby and they have taken a cave up front

 

[Beengirl]

I'm on my phone, so it's difficult for me to tell from that pic, but if he's friends with your YWG, it could be a tiger pistol shrimp. I have a pair myself, cute guys.

 

[Rutrag]

The very first pic looks like a mantis shrimp to me. I don't see the claws indicative of a pistol shrimp. Their claws look like pretty typical lobster type claws, with one being bigger than the other. A mantis' forelimbs fold up under its body.

it would be pretty weird for a mantis to tolerate a fish that close to it though.

 

[Beengirl]

I really can't tell anything from that 1st pic, but I hope it's not a mantis because if it is, he'll probably eat that YWG.

 

[Raleighfishnerd]

Here's some better pics

 

[melosu58]

To me it`s some type of pistol shrimp. The reef lobster is a well defined purple and orange. Hard to really tell from the pictures.

 

[Raleighfishnerd]

Yeah I was just looking at some tiger pistol shrimp pics and saw a few that looked identical

 

[Beengirl]

A tiger pistol for sure!! Here's a pic of mine.

 

[Raleighfishnerd]

Excellent thanks guys!