Equal-clawed Pistol Shrimp

Geographical Origin and Habitat: Eastern Pacific: from the Gulf of California to Peru and the Galapagos Islands. Lives in self-dug burrows under sand and coral rubble at depths of 1 to 20 meters.

Taxonomy: Family Alpheidae, genus Alpheus. Compressed body with an asymmetrical claw modified to shoot loud cavitation bubbles. Grows to 4.0 cm.

Social Behavior: Symbiotic. Digs underground tunnels, often cohabiting with Amblyeleotris gobies in a mutualistic relationship.

Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: The name 'aequus' refers to the relative similarity of its minor claw shape. Sexually indistinguishable upon direct external observation.

Tank Setup: Requires a sand bed at least 5-8 cm deep mixed with small calcareous fragments. Secure rockwork directly to the glass bottom.

Diet and Feeding: Omnivorous scavenger. Feeds on organic detritus and leftover fish food. Place pellets or frozen food near the burrow entrance.

Water Quality: Demands stable chemical parameters: temperature 21.0-26.0 °C, pH 8.1-8.4, specific gravity 1.021-1.025. Copper sensitive.

Compatibility and Tankmates: Reef-safe. Highly compatible with symbiotic gobies. Avoid large benthic predators like crabs or groupers.

Aquarium Breeding: Females carry eggs under their abdomen. Releases microscopic larvae that cannot survive standard filtration.

Risks and Diseases: Intolerant to copper. The snapping sound is natural and harmless to aquarium glass.