Like their fellow hitchhiker-turned-aquarium-stars, the Mantis Shrimp, Pistol Shrimp are coming into their own as popular aquarium additions. Unlike the Mantis Shrimp, most Pistol Shrimp can actually be kept with other tankmates.  They may even form bonds with some tankmates like Shrimpgobies that can be fascinating and entertaining to watch. Here are a few species of popular Pistol Shrimp for home aquariums.

Pistol shrimp get their name from the loud popping sound they can make by quickly opening or closing their specially adapted claws. This is used as a defense mechanism to frighten off would-be predators and, unlike the Mantis Shrimp they are sometimes confused with, they are harmless to most tankmates. They can be kept with most fish that will not prey on them but should not be kept with some other crustaceans, especially small shrimp or lobsters.

Tiger Pistol Shrimp (Alpheus bellulus)

The Tiger Pistol Shrimp is one of the most common and most popular pistol shrimp. It’s one of the species we get in to our store most often. These shrimp aren’t as striped as one would expect from a “Tiger” Pistol Shrimp but has a mottled, vaguely striped coloration in shades of tan, cream and reddish brown. The legs are striped and its claws have dark bands like the rubber bands on the claws of a lobster at a seafood restaurant. These pistols are true commensal species and may bond with any shrimpgobies – genus Cryptocentrus, Amblyeleotris, Stonogobiops and others. This species can grow up to about three inches in length and is one of the larger pistols.

 

Randall’s Pistol Shrimp (Alpheus randalli)

The Randall’s Pistol Shrimp is also known as the “Candy Cane” or “Red-banded Pistol Shrimp” and is one of the other species that we get in most often. While the Tiger Pistol Shrimp has a more mottled pattern, the Randall’s Pistol has more solid bright red and white stripes over a somewhat translucent body. The body and legs may be yellow – sometimes bright yellow – in some shrimp. This pistol shrimp only grows to about an inch and a half in length but, like the Tiger Pistol, isn’t too picky about which shrimpgoby it forms a pair with. It is better for smaller nano-reefs than the Tiger Pistol Shrimp.

 

Red Caribbean Pistol Shrimp (Alpheus sp.)

These pistol shrimp aren’t usually identified down to the exact species since several different species are almost identical. All are red with white markings, some with purple accents or banded antennas. However, these shrimp don’t usually pair with shrimpgobies. Instead, they form a relationship with the Curlycue Anemone (Bartholomea annulata), a common Caribbean anemone with long spiraling tentacles.

 

 

 

Green Pistol Shrimp (Alpheus euphrosyne)

The Green Pistol Shrimp is one of the more understated species. These shrimp have a brownish, olive green color more suited to the environment where they live. Rather than the rocky coral reefs of many others, the Green Pistol is found in muddy estuaries at the mouths of rivers, usually in full saltwater but some can tolerate the more brackish waters closer to the bays and mouths of the rivers. These shrimp are best kept in tanks with deeper, finer substrate closer to the muddy bottoms they have come from.

 

 

Pocillopora Pistol Shrimp (Alpheus lottini)

Pocillopora Pistol Shrimp are fascinating and rare pistols with a different modus operandi than other pistols. Like its common name suggests, these shrimp live within Pocillopora colonies. They will sometimes live alongside other coral-dwellers like Trapezia crabs where they may even work together to fend off attacks from coral-eating starfish like Cushion Stars or Crown Of Thorn Stars. They stay fairly small, usually well under two inches, and can vary in color. Most are yellow-orange with purple markings like speckles or a stripe down their back. Some of these may be regional variations, others may be subspecies.

Bullseye Pistol Shrimp (Alpheus soror)

The Bullseye Pistol Shrimp is one of the most stunning in appearance. The body is bright yellow-orange and the claws, legs and antennae are bright purple. Although they are also sometimes known as “Michael’s Pistol Shrimp”, the name Bullseye Pistol Shrimp comes from the white-ringed black spot on the middle of each side. This pistol shrimp is another that doesn’t usually form a bond with shrimpgobies. Some may share a burrow with some shrimpgobies, but they aren’t as reliant on the bond as other pistol shrimp and will often live on their own without a goby and may leave a pair at any time. This species also tends to be more active and will venture further from home and more into the open than others.

 

 

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These species are just some of the more common to enter the aquarium hobby. Others are sometimes available as well and each have their own unique behaviors and appearances but all can make for fascinating additions to a saltwater aquarium!

The Aquatic Article Archive on our website has had a renovation over the past couple of weeks so if you haven’t visited for awhile, head over to ThatPetPlace.com and check it out. We’ve reorganized the categories to make articles easier to find and added some of your favorite posts from this blog to the archive as well. Now, you can browse the following Aquatic Article Archive categories:

General Care

This section has basic aquarium information for many different types of aquariums. You’ll also find information on some of the basic principles of aquarium-keeping like stocking guidelines, water testing, the Nitrogen Cycle and more. This is a good place to start with basic questions on how to set up a new aquarium or before venturing into a new aspect of the hobby. Important steps when adding new animals to your tank – Acclimation Procedures and Quarantine Tanks – are also explained here.

 

Aquarium Troubleshooting

The Aquarium Troubleshooting section is a go-to location for all issues and problems that an aquarist might face. This includes an overview on Common Fish Diseases, a quick reference chart of Aquarium Medications and the more comprehensive overviews on Active Ingredients in medications from this blog. It also includes other articles about common aquarium problems.

 

 

Aquarium Filter Guides

This section includes basics on all different kinds of filtration that an aquarists has to choose from. Visit here to get more information on each kind of filter to help you determine which is best for your tank and the best way to maintain the filter and media you choose.

 

 

 

 

Aquarium Lighting Guides

Like aquarium filters, choosing aquarium lighting can be a daunting task. The Aquarium Lighting Guides section has Aquarium Lighting Charts to help you choose the best fixture for a Freshwater Fish-Only Tank, Freshwater Planted Tank, Saltwater Fish-Only Tank or a Saltwater Reef Tank. It also includes information on each types of lighting available.

 

Other Equipment Guides

Equipment other than lighting and filters are included in this section. This includes, air pumps, chillers, heater, salt mix and protein skimmers.

 

 

 

Compatibility Charts

Our Compatibility Charts for aquarium livestock are all found in one place in the Compatiblity Charts section. These charts can help you make educated decisions on what livestock can go together in your tank. Separate charts can be found here for Marine Animals and for Freshwater & Brackish Fish. Our much-requested African Cichlid Compatibility Chart is located here as well.

 

Live Plants & Planted Aquariums

All things planted are included here. These articles include basics tips for live plants, supplies you’ll need for your planted tank, the most important nutrients for live plants and using Carbon Dioxide for plant health. Our popular blog on Dipping Plants to Eliminate Snails is found here too.

 

Freshwater Fish Care Guides

This section includes over twenty care guides for many different groups of freshwater fish common in the aquarium hobby. All of these care guides were written by our marine biologist and aquatic science staff and have been popular handouts in our retail store at the Fish Room Education Center.

 

Saltwater Fish Care Guides

Over two dozen of our popular Saltwater Fish Care Guides are found here. Like our Freshwater Fish Care Guides, these were all written by our experts and are part of the Education Center in our retail store Fish Room. These care guides are a good place to start for basic information on lots of groups of fish, including care, feeding, compatibility, water parameters and behavioral information.

 

Coral & Invertebrate Care Guides

This section is the home of the care guides available for many different saltwater invertebrates, including some corals. These care guides include specialty inverts like Mantis Shrimp and Pistol Shrimp as well as reef animals like Maxima, Squamosa, Derasa and Crocea Clams.

 

 

 

Are there any other articles you’d like to see here on our blog or in our Aquatic Article Archive? Let us know what you’d like to see and we’ll do our best to cover any topics you’d like to learn more about!

Many aquarists encounter some sort of nuisance animals at some point. Whether it is snails in freshwater or shrimp, worms or the errant troublemaking fish in saltwater, trying to remove the offender can be difficult. While there are traps galore available for sale, you can also make your own at home if you need a quick trap. This kind of trap is effective on things like Mantis Shrimp, Pistol Shrimp, freshwater snails and other small inverts and can be made from items you probably already have in your home. Read More »

There are a few things every aquarist should have on hand, especially for saltwater and reef aquariums. Algae scrubbers, food for their fish, extra filter media…and first aid supplies. Even the most cautious of us gets scraped, stung, poked, cut, irritated and altogether abused sometimes when we work on our tanks. The supplies you may want to have depends on what you have in your aquarium (freshwater aquarists may not need many of these items) and your own medical history (if you know you are allergic to something like bee stings or salt creep or fake SCUBA diver ornaments, you may need some extra items like an Epi-pen or special medications).  Keep these items in a clean, waterproof container in your aquarium stand or nearby for easy access. Read More »

Live rock has always been a controversial topic within the aquarium hobby.  Rock harvested from oceanic reefs has been a staple for reef enthusiasts for many years. It’s hard to replicate the look of a coral reef in a closed environment without the use of natural live rock. The problem is, it takes a lot longer for the live rock beds to recover than it does for dealers to harvest it. Removing natural rock reduces the amount of locations for new corals to settle and develop, so collection threatens the existing coral reefs as corals have less suitable area to colonize. Read More »