Candy Cane Pistol Shrimp

Alpheus randalli

The Candy Cane or Red Banded Snapping Shrimp and its cousins all have a unique left pincher. The pincher is modified to produce a loud sound and stream of water whenever it is opened or closed. In the aquarium, it sounds like a loud clicking noise.

Startling for the aquarist, it uses this skill in the wild to warn away predators and to knock down prey. The Red Banded Snapping Shrimp and its mate will usually reside in a burrow of sand or mud, often with one of the gobies of the genera Amblyeleotris or Stonogobiops. The goby's superior eyesight also gives it advance warning of any predators. They also tend to share some of each other's food.

While the shrimp are in the burrow, you will usually only see one of them "standing guard" at any one time. Under the cover of darkness it is likely to forage, occasionally preying on tiny shrimp. Otherwise, it will subsist on meaty foods and bottom feeder tablets in the aquarium. It is intolerant of copper or high nitrates, but will require a correct iodine level in the water for proper molting.