goby+shrimp pair

[zach0660]

I was just wondering if everyone out there would tell me their expierences with goby and pistolshrimp pairs. I would love to get a pair but I am doing some research on them before I do so.

thanks

[polarbearsd]

i had a goby in my tank for a while and then just recently got a pistol shrimp. Truthfully, i think they hang out together under a rock, however the shrimp doesnt come out very often and i have not actually seen them together as of yet.

the pistol shrimp definitely digs caves under all the rocks in the sandbed though

[Tennsquire]

I've had the same experience as polarbearsd. I've had a randall's goby and shrimp for about 4 or 5 mos, and I've seen the shrimp twice. I do see sand flying out from under rocks in the bottom of the reef, and the goby comes out at feeding time, but they're not very visable in my tank.

[yellowwatchmen]

Mine are the complete opposite. They built their burrow right in front. I see them almost every time I look at the tank.

[seapug]

I have a Yashe goby and Randall's pistol shrimp that are great. I did not buy them together. The goby was in the tank about 2 weeks and hadn't seen any trace of him. I thought he was dead, but within 12 hours of putting the pistol shrimp in they had found each other and were shacking up & hanging out on the front porch of the cave.

They do hide a lot but are always ready and waiting at feeding time. They must have an alarm clock in their cave. It's a really cool relationship to observe in a tank.

[alten78]

I was curious about this as well. I currently have a small yellow clown goby but wasn't sure if adding a watchmen and a pistol shrimp would cause any problems with the clown.

[seapug]

I doubt you'll have any problems with that combo . The clowns hang out up high and the watchmen and shrimp stay low. I would recommend some sort of high-fin goby, though (randalls, yashe, banded, etc). They are much cooler looking than the watchmen, IMO.

[DrBegalke]

mine paired quickly...

then one day the yasha was gone, couldn't find it anywhere, so i bought a randall's goby... the next day i found the yasha in the pump compartment of the nano, he was skinny, but i put him back in the display.. and all three of them paired up..

pretty cool. definitely recommend.

[zach0660]

thanks everyone for the replies..

DrBegalke, that is cool how the three paired off. I wonder what a randall's/yasha goby would look like.

[slumpysix]

Here is my pair. They paired up the same day I put them in. The shrimp is a maniac at moving sand. It's amazing how much he moves in one night.

[Snowboarda42]

Mine paired up instantly.

I see them all the time. In the beginning they were really easily spooked but not as much anymore.

[Conesus_Kid]

I've got a YWG who hangs in a cave under the rocks. This thread has me considering a pistol shrimp.

Any species recommendations? Techniques to ensure paring?

Thanks!

[seapug]

I've heard stories where people who have a goby that's very comfortable living alone will not pair up with the shrimp. Seems to work better with relatively newly introduced fish that are still a bit nervous and looking for some security.

[Sk8r]

dropped in 2 shrimp, one candycane for my highfin gobies, one tiger for my ywg. They instantly, I mean, just as they lighted on the sand, found the appropriate fish...their own doing.
However...
The candycane is currently living in my sump, having gotten through the weir and into the downflow on the second day---correction: TWO candycanes are living down there: both did it.
The tiger, howeve,r took up residence with the ywg and often comes out with him---is growing like a weed and bothers nothing.

[giller]

do any of you have troble keeping the shrimp with any other burrowing fish such as tile fish or fish that sleep in the sand such as leopards?

Also, do you think a diamond goby would have a problem with a pair like this (the tank is six feet long but I am not sure because my diamond goby has two burrows, one on either side of the tank)

[mscarpena]

I have a yasha gobie that if I see once a month I am happy. Also the shrimp is a pain in the butt because he is always digging, burrying corals, over turning corals, and bringing corals into his caves. I bought him the yasha to make him feel more at home, but did not work. I see the shrimp more than than the goby.
I had a bulls eye pistol shrimp and I liked him a lot better. Also he was in a larger tank and only about 2" sandbed rather than the 4" I have the pistol in now. Good luck neat, but some times I wonder if they are worth it.