Molted critter... Any ideas?

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Noticed this molt on my sand... I've got a 4" purple lobster, this isn't nearly that large, maybe half that size. Swear I've heard pistol shrimp in this tank, but I've never spotted him.

PXL_20240121_213814152.jpg
 

SaltyT

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Looks like the same molts I get from my Caribbean blue legged pistol shrimp. Mine hitchhiked in on some live rock and is pretty big for a pistol shrimp.
 

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Pistol shrimp, interesting hitchhiker. You should get a watchman goby
To be safe, you'd want to ID any pistol shrimp before getting a watchman goby for it - not all pistol shrimp pair with gobies (some roam free, others live with nems, sponges, etc.).
 
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I've lost two fish over the last few months, both long term residents that seemed fine, and then they were dead. No sign of disease...

Maybe I've found the culprit.

Ordered a shrimp trap, should be here in a couple of days. See if we can get catch the thing.
 

Katrina71

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I've lost two fish over the last few months, both long term residents that seemed fine, and then they were dead. No sign of disease...

Maybe I've found the culprit.

Ordered a shrimp trap, should be here in a couple of days. See if we can get catch the thing.
Good luck! I've been trying for years to catch mine. I'm sorry for your losses. They are really smart too. Mine will build sand dunes so he can reach fish that sleep in the top of a cave.
 
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I just replaced all of my live rock to get rid of a slew of rainbow nems that had overgrown the entire tank. I left 1 softball sized rock, and, apparently, this shrimp was under it :D

No worries. I'll get him. If I have to fence off half the tank with my fishes, and pull every piece of rock, well, that's what I'll do. I'll try the shrimp trap first.
 

Katrina71

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I just replaced all of my live rock to get rid of a slew of rainbow nems that had overgrown the entire tank. I left 1 softball sized rock, and, apparently, this shrimp was under it :D

No worries. I'll get him. If I have to fence off half the tank with my fishes, and pull every piece of rock, well, that's what I'll do. I'll try the shrimp trap first.
That is the only thing I haven't done!
 

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Good luck! I've been trying for years to catch mine. I'm sorry for your losses. They are really smart too. Mine will build sand dunes so he can reach fish that sleep in the top of a cave.
What the helheim kind of shrimp did you get?? My pistol never leaves his burrow!
 
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Got him. Just shy of 2" long, I'd guess. No idea how he got in the tank. I've heard what I thought might be pistol shrimp snaps out of this tank for 7 or so years, never seen him before.

Oh, shrimp trap failed. I used a bit of plastic to divide the tank in half, and pulled every bit of rock from the half where I thought he was. Sure enough.

Firm ID?
Sorry for the poor photo, camera just doesn't do well under these lights, and then, since he's in a net breeder, I had to take a top down photo.

I've lost a 4" foxface and a 4" purple tank out of this tank recently. Both had been in the tank for years, and showed no signs of being sick... just suddenly dead. Could this thing have done that?

Shrimp1.jpg
 
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Katrina71

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Got him. Just shy of 2" long, I'd guess. No idea how he got in the tank. I've heard what I thought might be pistol shrimp snaps out of this tank for 7 or so years, never seen him before.

Oh, shrimp trap failed. I used a bit of plastic to divide the tank in half, and pulled every bit of rock from the half where I thought he was. Sure enough.

Firm ID?
Sorry for the poor photo, camera just doesn't do well under these lights, and then, since he's in a net breeder, I had to take a top down photo.

I've lost a 4" foxface and a 4" purple tank out of this tank recently. Both had been in the tank for years, and showed no signs of being sick... just suddenly dead. Could this thing have done that?

Shrimp1.jpg
Yes! Exactly like mine!!! I saw mine kill a fish. I know for sure.
 
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Greybeard

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Lfs says he'd take the thing. Been thinking about keeping him as a sump monster. Either way, he won't be in my display anymore.
 
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Greybeard

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Tossed him in my sump. He should be a good sump monster. Hope he's OK in there... got rubble, rock, but there's no sand in my sump.
 

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