dangerously big pistol shrimp

[bexarhunt]

Any ideas on how to catch a way too big pistol shrimp without tearing the aquarium apart and pulling live rock? My pistol shrimp (beautiful orange color with blue antennaes) has gotten way too big! He's at least 4 in long and his snapping can be hear across the house in the middle of the night. I've seen him try to attack a brittle star but no telling what else. Any advise would be appreciated!

[jrsatx20]

trigger, puffer, lion fish

[bexarhunt]

Thanks...but forgot to add that the tank is a 34g Red Sea Max with a couple of sm clowns, blue spot jawfish, sandsifting star, sm hippo tang, small yellow watchman, bicolor blenny, bta and lots of corals....would hate to add to my bioload not to mention compatability. Fairly new at this hobby to top it all off!

[jrsatx20]

well not all the three of them j/k. small water bottle with bait could work.

[bexarhunt]

Assuming he will fit in the water bottle opening, I will try it! This guy is huge!

[jrsatx20]

small juice bottle will have a bigger opening

[MissT]

a couple of sm clowns, blue spot jawfish, sandsifting star, sm hippo tang, small yellow watchman, bicolor blenny....

:what_smile:

[bexarhunt]

I hear ya but too much invested in my blue spot jawfish. Don't want him to be a victim if I can avoid it.

[FSU]

:what_smile:

Exactly! Seems a lot of people are trying to get as many fish into their tanks as possible. Not to mention a hippo tang in a tank that small! :thumbs_down:

[engwife36]

Exactly! Seems a lot of people are trying to get as many fish into their tanks as possible. Not to mention a hippo tang in a tank that small! :thumbs_down:


I knew it was just a matter of time before the tang police arrived!!!!:Timeout:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y21/smelleybrad/tangpolice.jpg

[bexarhunt]

I have a bigger tank the hippo will go into as he grows. I do try to research everything I buy on the internet before I buy. I also have 5 different fish and invert books as well.

[FSU]

I knew it was just a matter of time before the tang police arrived!!!!:Timeout:

Don't lie, I just beat you to it! :shades:

[bexarhunt]

Jeremy at B&B can vouch for how much research I do before I walk into his store AND how many books I have bought from him....and no, I am not related to him....just a customer!

[Texreefer]

THIS IS JUST AN ANALOGY! so dont take it wrong,, If you were chained in a basement and given food and water you would stay alive for a long time like that, but are you really living?.. for anyone telling themselves they will move a fish to a larger tank when they grow, is false logic because they will likely not grow or flourish in a tank that small to begin with. I'm not the tang police:wink_smile: Just curious what size tank you have that he will go into and what size tank do your books recommend..?

oh yeah, and the bottle and bait idea is a good one:thumbs_up:

[bigmoe21]

any tank is smaller than the ocean...so saying that even your hundred or so of gallons is big enough is a statement of futility..isnt that not fair then too to the fish? he wont flourish like he would in the ocean? its like any hobby dealing with animals. so please respect everyone, not that anyone isnt, and understand we're ALL doing the same thing, whether its 300g or 30g :-)

[Texreefer]

...... and understand we're ALL doing the same thing, whether its 300g or 30g :-)

simply not true:)

[bexarhunt]

I have a 110 in cycle mode...I have 4 different fish books....two of them say 100g and another book says 75g and the other doesnt have the hippo....two books are by scott michael that say the 100g, then there is 101 best sw fish and reef secrets book....

[bigmoe21]

...

[engwife36]

and understand we're ALL doing the same thing, whether its 300g or 30g :-)


I'm not even going to start on this b/c the I'll probably get the thread locked.

[hobogato]

whether im right or wrong, probably wrong in many eyes, its still not justifiable to say your fish in your enclosed glass is happier than he would potentially be back in the ocean...

i agree. there is no denying that the ocean is where the fish would be "happiest". however, once they are in our care, it is up to us to give them the best care possible, and putting a fish in a tank that is too small is not living up to that standard.

[engwife36]

So back on topic, if the tank is only a 34g and he's causing that much trouble and it were me, I would just start taking stuff out little by little until I was able to catch him. It wouldn't take long to get it put back together. Good luck!

[FSU]

So back on topic, if the tank is only a 34g and he's causing that much trouble and it were me, I would just start taking stuff out little by little until I was able to catch him. It wouldn't take long to get it put back together. Good luck!

I agree with this also, as it shouldn't take much time at all. And usually when you take it all back out and trying to put it all back in the same way, you will probably come across some other ideas as to how you want to change the look of the tank. Just my 0.02 cents!

[Texreefer]

I have a 110 in cycle mode...I have 4 different fish books....two of them say 100g and another book says 75g and the other doesnt have the hippo....two books are by scott michael that say the 100g, then there is 101 best sw fish and reef secrets book....

Very good,, thats what I wanted to hear!:bighug:

[razermouse]

My kids and I could be wrong but we suspect a Mantis shrimp in our 28 gallon of killing our Manadarin Goby. After I moved the aquarium to Houston, I noticed that he was in the usual rock that we had always seen him in (now on top of the rest of rocks). So, I pulled the rock out, set it in a bucket and proceeded to fill it with fresh water until he evacuated the rock and then returning the rock to the aquarium asap.

Your tactics will have to vary a bit and unfortunately, I think you will probably have to remove all the rock from the tank. He's probably got a burrow under your rocks that he'll retreat to once you try to net him.

Here's what I would do:

1. buy or obtain 2 20 gallon storage buckets and a 5 gallon bucket. These make great temporary holding facilities for water changes, transports, or rock rearrangements.
2. fill the buckets with saltwater that matches the params of your tank. Personally, I would include a small heater and a power head for your live rock buckets.
3. remove the rock until you can trap your pistol shrimp with a net.
4. put the pistol shrimp in the 5 gallon buckets
5. put all the rocks back in your aquarium.

[BA]

my shrimps used to come out almost galloping when i feed to get food, does yours? if anything i would try various traps if you really don't wanna break down your tank, the biggest thing with a trap is patience

[bexarhunt]

Thanks everyone for your input! I think I will try a trap first before breaking down the tank. I think I finally have it looking good so trap sounds good! I will let you all know how it goes and see if I can take a pic. Really new to masst so doing the pics thing may be a while...