# Cleaner Shrimp Imposter?



## gdwb10101 (Apr 14, 2006)

I noticed that my cleaner shrimp has disappeared a couple weeks ago. Today, i found this "imposter" cleaner shrimp, fighting with a bristle worm in my tank. It has the same white line that runs down the back like the cleaner, but it has bigger claws and no long white antennas. I'm not sure what this shrimp is, but it also, likes to make burrows under the rockwork. Could it be a type of pistol shrimp? Is it dangerous? I'm not very familiar with shrimp species so any help would be beneficial.

I think that i may have been able to partially identify it. It is very skiddish, so i won't be able to take a pic. Something along the lines of these two. Also I hear popping at night, so it might be a pistol right?


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## Jonno (May 22, 2005)

yep it differently looks likes a pistol shrimp. If i was you i would take it out before it does any other harm to your fish. But its up to you , you might like to keep it.


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## flamingo (Nov 5, 2005)

If you ask me i'd say 100 percent it's a type of pistol shrimp due to the claw it's sticking out in the first picture. Looks pretty neat if you ask me.


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## Reefneck (Oct 15, 2005)

It IS indeed a Pistol shrimp and it will NOT harm your fish! No need to take it out. Get it a "Buddy". Get a Yellow Watchman Goby.


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## leveldrummer (May 27, 2005)

yea, reefneck is right, a buddy is what it needs, it burrows, clicks, its a pistol, cool shrimp to have! it may kill some hermits and snails if they go in its burrow, but if you get a watchman goby, it will keep them out. so... go get one!


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

Not that you need it but they are all correct. Nice hitchhiker to a reef tank. The popping noise is the shrimp opening and closing its claw. Water is expelled. Be happy its not a mantis shrimp! Congrats on the find. It will be hard to add any other shrimp to your tank though.


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

my pistol was not aggressive to anything else in the tank, including shrimp... it maybe species dependent though.


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## leveldrummer (May 27, 2005)

my tiger pistol isnt aggresive to anything either, unless it goes in its burrow. but thats a given.


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## gdwb10101 (Apr 14, 2006)

Well, I had several other shrimps, including my cleaner and 3 peppermint which have all disappeared...prolly the pistol? It is kinda cool, but it has its burrows at the back of the tank so i never really see it. If i do, its for like 2 seconds and then it runs away. 

Do yellow watchman gobies burrow? I had a diamond goby and that made a mess of my tank and i can have no more of that. But thanks for the suggestion. I wan't to keep a cleaner or cbs or fire shrimp, will this pistol kill them? Also, how would i catch this if it wanted to get rid of it. Thanks.

(Simpte, where is that quote from? I had to write about it as an essay, but don't remember author, maybe it was anon.)


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## gdwb10101 (Apr 14, 2006)

I would like to get another cleaner or blood shrimp but am weary with that pistol. I am scared that it will kill them. I like it, but if i wanted to take it out, is there a way to catch a shrimp that is hidden almost all of the time? It is fairly large 2".

If i wanted a yellow watchman, do they burrow? What is the deal with them? I had a diamond that made a mess of my tank until i moved it to another tank.

Also, the LFS in my area said that the Royal Grammas do not live long in their stores. Are they just not taking care of the fish? Or are they hard to keep? I really wanted one, but the selection wasn't very good at 3 stores.


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## Reefneck (Oct 15, 2005)

Pistol shrimp do not kill other shrimp. I have 2 in my tank with a Fire/Blood shrimp and have had for months.

Yellow watchman pair up with the pistol shrimp and share their burrow. They are not Sand Sifters like a diamond goby is.

Royal Grammas are fine tankmates and I've had one for almost a year. Your LFS's may be getting bad fish from a bad wholsaler.





gdwb10101 said:


> I would like to get another cleaner or blood shrimp but am weary with that pistol. I am scared that it will kill them. I like it, but if i wanted to take it out, is there a way to catch a shrimp that is hidden almost all of the time? It is fairly large 2".
> 
> If i wanted a yellow watchman, do they burrow? What is the deal with them? I had a diamond that made a mess of my tank until i moved it to another tank.
> 
> Also, the LFS in my area said that the Royal Grammas do not live long in their stores. Are they just not taking care of the fish? Or are they hard to keep? I really wanted one, but the selection wasn't very good at 3 stores.


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## Guest (Sep 15, 2006)

i agree with reefneck here, at the LFS i work at, we keep pistols with other shrimp all the time. We have them with cleaners and peppermint shrimp with no problem. i have a feeling that somethin else was the cause of death to your shrimp. make sure you are spending plenty of time acclimating your shrimp slowly, that is probably the main cause of peoples shrimp dieing, along with starfish too. just get yourself another shrimp and enjoy.


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## gdwb10101 (Apr 14, 2006)

thanks. I think ill get a fire shrimp


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