Believe my pistol is a murderer (rant)

[kevin]

My pistol shrimp is not very friendly. I can't tell if hes killing my fish or not. He was fine with my first goby, then the goby got sick.. so I think he ended him. 2nd goby jumped to his death. Tail spot blenny disappeared. Barnacle Blenny that I bought a few weeks ago Disappeared(the other one is still alive and well). Aurora goby that I just got 2 weeks ago has disappeared. I heard popping going off last night.. but that's usual. Come home and the goby that's out 100% of the time is missing. The damn pistol never pairs up. He plays tug-o-war with the harlequins chocolate star. He goes next to other fish, but never attacks. Although, I can only assume that it's him making my fish disappear. I have a top to my tank so nothing can jump out(unless small enough).

How would one suggest getting him out? I really dont think there is a way because he stays hidden and never leaves the rocks.

 

[AJ1080]

If he plays tug of war with the harlequins how about using the starfish as bait?

From listening to what you said in the past.....I think its time he comes out.

If that dont work you can always try this.....Not responsible for what happens to your tank

But I will be more than happy to hold your zoas if anything bad happens

 

[kevin]

haha. I feel real bad if the shrimp is killing my fish. What a terrible way to go. The goby was eating & very healthy. He was sitting at AO for 5months or so.. before i picked him up the other week

 

[mnat]

Do you know what kind of pistol is it or what it looks like?

Pistols can be annoying as all heck to get out as they can hide in the rock or in the sand. We have had to leave rocks in buckets overnight to get them out before.

 

[kevin]

I thought I had more pictures somewhere.. but I cant find them. It was sold as a "candy".. but pretty sure it's not. He's pretty big also.

 

[mnat]

Not even close to a candy, I would try and get him out. We had one that was all green that we suspected of getting a few fish. We had to pull the 45g apart to get him and it was a PIA. Not all pistols are safe.

 

[kevin]

Not even close to a candy, I would try and get him out. We had one that was all green that we suspected of getting a few fish. We had to pull the 45g apart to get him and it was a PIA. Not all pistols are safe.

I'll give it a try. I don't have anything glued down. I was suppose to get him out when I moved the tank. He hid in the rocks!

 

[jgraz]

Maybe sink a bottle type fish trap, see of he goes in. Might get the Harlys though. Good luck getting him out.

 

[NikkiT]

I know this isn't what you want to hear, but tear your tank apart if necessary.
That does not look like a reef safe pistol, and as mike said, it certainly is not a candy; candy pistols are typically small, and are bright red, bright yellow, and white, not orangish-pink.
If you know what portion of the tank he likes to hide in, remove all other live rock, the piece over his burrow(s) last. Remove live rock into a DRY container if it may contain him, with 1" of water over the bottom. Sift through your sand (use a net and expect to do a large water change afterwards) until you are certain he is not in the tank.
Slowly add live rock back in, blasting each one with water first to be sure he isn't hiding in it.

I had to do this 2x before I was successful removing the green pistol Mike referred to. It was a pain, but worth it as fish stopped mysteriously disappearing.

 

[kevin]

Thanks for the info! I'll update with further info if I get him, hah.

 

[NikkiT]

Thanks for the info! I'll update with further info if I get him, hah.

You will get him, just be persistent.