Pistol shrimp

[FishyReef]

I bought a tiny and very cute candycane pistol shrimp over the weekend to pair with a yellow watchman goby that I added to my nano tank. Since then I've noticed fewer and fewer nassarius snails coming out when I feed the tank. My guesses are that either (1) the pistol shrimp is eating them, or (2) they are very busy cleaning the sand bed now that the pistol and goby are digging holes in it. What do you guys think?

 

[ErinCahir]

Probably eating them. My pistol made very short work of my CUC. I had a big-ish hermit that survived for a couple months (and I have a pom pom who is still alive). Other than that he's taken everyone out.

 

[salt_for_brains]

I agree that option 1 is probably what is going on. I had one that pull hermits down the hole. Sometimes it would just pull the legs off the hermits and stand over them laughing.

 

[FishyReef]

Damn, that's too bad :( Half of my nassies were bred in my tank too. I really didn't think it would go after my snails. I've seriously gone from a good 20-25 to about 3 visible. I have a huge hermit crab in there who seems fine so far, and 4 sexy shrimp who stay higher up in the rocks. I hope they'll be okay. Also have one each of astraea, banded trochus, cerith, nerite, and orange turbo snail, plus lots of hitchhiking brittlestars, bristleworms, etc. Any advice on what to do about a cuc with the pistol in there? The pistol is about 3/4" in size

 

[ErinCahir]

I just gave up on it, in all honesty. Mine keeps the bed pretty stirred. I've been thinking about trying a big skunk cleaner but I'm worried he'll end up lunch.