Pistol shrimp and sand size

[Stomkat]

Can sand be too fine for a pistol shrimp to burrow? I see videos of them digging, and everyone else seems to have larger sand than I do. Mine is nearly dust it is so fine.

It's a Candystripe Pistol Shrimp, so it is supposed to stay 1-1.5", so maybe I'm worrying about a non-issue. But he digs and a lot of it just sifts right back down the hole.

[snorvich]

I have little "boulders" which are about a 1/4 inch and some dead snail shells. Mine use them for structural support and to close up the hole(s) at night. My sand is sugar sand.

[Agu]

Since I leave near a beach, my tank that was a shrimp/goby tank had a couple cups of shore rubble (small pieces of rock and broken shells) under the rockwork. Since you obviously can't do that now just add some rubble at the mouth of it's burrow. When that disappears add more, when it stops disappearing you know the burrow is set up.

[stewartms]

I have little "boulders" which are about a 1/4 inch and some dead snail shells. Mine use them for structural support and to close up the hole(s) at night. My sand is sugar sand.

+1 Put some small shells or or little live rock chips in there. He will use them to shore up his excavations.

I dont think they ever finish their projects though....

[BIG_KAHUNA]

+1 on continuous construction. Mine has never stopped digging. He can get about anywhere in the tank without ever being seen lol

[disc1]

Until I watched mine build his burrow, I had no idea what wonderful engineers they are.