Candy Stripe Randall's Pistol Shrimp

Like other members of the Alpheus genus, the Candy Stripe or Randall's Pistol Shrimp has a unique left claw that is used to make a snapping or clicking sound. It is often used to startle other would be predators and knock down prey.

The Candy Stripe Shrimp and its mate will usually reside in a burrow of sand, often with one of the Gobies of the genera Amblyeleotris or Stonogobiops. The Shrimp benefit from the Gobies eyesight which gives it advance warning of any predators. They often share food as well.

Pistol Shrimp usually manage the burrow while the Gobies keep a lookout for potential predators. The Shrimp will maintain contact with the Goby using one of its antennae. The Goby communicates trouble with a special movement the Shrimp picks up on. Under the cover of darkness it is likely to find the Shrimp foraging, occasionally preying on tiny shrimp. Otherwise, it will subsist on meaty foods and bottom feeder tablets in the aquarium. They will not survive if copper or high nitrates are present, and will require the correct iodine level for proper molting.