Tiger Pistol Shrimp

The tiger pistol shrimp is recognized by the dark brown–purple tiger blotches covering its cream body and by a single claw that is very large for its body size. When it snaps this claw shut, the resulting "click" is clearly audible in the aquarium and serves to stun its small prey. Its eyesight is poor; in the wild it lives in partnership with a shrimp goby that waits at the mouth of its burrow: the shrimp digs and maintains the burrow, while the goby stands guard and warns the shrimp of danger. Watching this partnership in the aquarium is the species' greatest appeal. Those on the market are wild-collected.

• At least 60 liters; a mixed fine and coarse sand bed at least 7–8 cm deep, with flat stones it can tunnel under.
• Rocks should be placed directly on the tank bottom before the sand is added; the shrimp can collapse rockwork while digging.
• Salinity specific gravity 1.023–1.026, pH 8.1–8.4, temperature 24–27°C.
• Reef safe; it does not touch corals, but it may move coral frags placed on the sand away from around its burrow. Copper-based medications are lethal.

Omnivorous. It feeds on mysis, brine shrimp, sinking granules and chopped seafood that reach the mouth of its burrow; food should be dropped near the burrow.

Peaceful but defends its burrow with determination. It may catch very small shrimp and dwarf shrimp that are molting.

Good companions: Randall's shrimp goby, the high-fin shrimp goby and other Amblyeleotris, Stonogobiops and Cryptocentrus gobies; clownfish and cardinalfish.

Avoid: hawkfish, large wrasses, triggerfish and lionfish; dwarf shrimp; a second pistol shrimp pair sharing the same sand.