Sony F-717 digital, tripod 9.7mm (Macro) at f2.04 1/30 second, ISO 320

And four pairs of shoes for each

Another view of a pistol shrimp (Alpheus heterochaelis), though a different one than previously in the gallery. They tend to be very shy and reclusive, so it's rare that I get a clear shot at the front of the tank like this. No time to set up the flash, so this one was by the light of a halogen lamp over the tank.

And I didn't notice at the time, until I uploaded the images to my computer, that she had a whole bunch of little surprises for Mr. Pistol Shrimp, seen here clustered in her pleopods, the fins under her abdomen. Since there was only one pistol shrimp in my tank at the time, I suspected Mr. Shrimp wouldn't ever find out they were going to have septuagetuplets.

She had been in the tank for weeks, and nothing ever came of this. I have no idea whether conditions weren't right for the hatching, or if some crabs found the eggs and consumed them, or what, really.