Tiger Pistol Shrimp (Bellulus) care guide
Tiger Pistol Shrimp (Bellulus) (Alpheus bellulus) — minimum tank 60 L, temperature 24-26 °C, pH 8.1-8.4.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Tiger Pistol Shrimp (Bellulus) (Alpheus bellulus) is a marine pistol (snapping) shrimp of the family Alpheidae, listed in the Aquairi knowledge base as an intermediate-level species. Most common 'Tiger Pistol' in the trade with bold black-and-tan banding. Forms classic symbiosis with shrimp gobies in shared burrow.
Taxonomy
- Family: Alpheidae
- Genus: Alpheus
- Scientific name: Alpheus bellulus
- Common synonyms: Tiger Pistol Bellulus, Symbiosis Shrimp
Habitat
Alpheus pistol (snapping) shrimp are reef and sand-flat alpheids that bear one greatly enlarged claw. Snapping the claw produces a cavitation bubble and a loud pop used to stun prey and deter rivals; many species share a burrow with a partner goby in a well-known symbiosis. In the Aquairi knowledge base this species is recorded from Indo-Pacific.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 60 L (15.9 US gal)
- Adult size: 3-5 cm
- Temperature: 24-26 °C (75-79 °F)
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- GH: 8-12 °dGH
- KH: 8-12 °dKH
- Salinity (specific gravity): 1.024-1.026
- Lifespan: 3-5 years
Diet
The species is a scavenger, feeding on detritus, small invertebrates and organic particles collected around its burrow; in aquaria it readily takes sinking pellets and frozen foods.
Compatibility
The Aquairi knowledge base lists this species as peaceful. Suitable tank mates include Shrimp gobies. It should be kept away from Predatory fish. It pairs naturally with a partner goby that shares and guards its burrow.
Breeding
Breeding requires a planktonic larval stage, generally in brackish or marine water, which makes captive reproduction very difficult and rarely achieved in home aquaria.
Breeding the Tiger Pistol Shrimp (Alpheus bellulus)
Overview
Alpheus bellulus is a pistol shrimp of the Indo-West Pacific, growing to about 4–5 cm (excluding antennae) and recognised by a yellowish-white body with symmetric brownish markings, banded legs and red antennae. It is the tiger pistol most often seen in the trade and pairs with shrimp gobies such as Cryptocentrus cinctus and Stonogobiops yasha.
Sexing
Sexes are separate, with no hermaphroditism. As elsewhere in Alpheidae, pairs are typically monogamous with mate-guarding, and the female carries the egg clutch beneath her abdomen.
Breeding Setup
The shrimp constructs burrows in sandy or muddy substrate down to about 20 m in nature, reinforcing them with shell and coral fragments and prioritising digging over feeding early on. A deep sand bed plus a compatible goby lookout recreates the shared-burrow symbiosis the species needs.
Spawning & Berried Females
Following the family, the female broods the fertilised eggs under her abdomen until they hatch. Mating and egg-carrying occur within the protection of the burrow system maintained jointly with the goby.
Larval Care
Alpheid young develop through planktonic nauplius and zoea stages before reaching a post-larval form. Raising these tiny larvae demands graded live foods and stable water, and there is no established hobbyist protocol for A. bellulus.
Common Challenges
Because the shrimp spends most of its time in the burrow and relies on the goby as a lookout, spawning is seldom observed, and the planktonic larvae are not commonly reared at home. Effort is better placed on the burrow-and-goby environment than on larval culture.