Goby/Shrimp question

[fijiwigi]

I have an orange-spotted goby and a pistol shrimp. That was added on the 10th I haven't seen the shrimp since I put it in. Behind the center rocks that I have there is a nice cozy hiding place kind of like a cave with 4 openings. I see the Goby poke his head out from there every once in a while to check things out. I am just wondering If i will ever see the pistol shrimp again. And what will they eat should I worry about feeding them. They isn't really much leftover food since I am currently feeding flake food in moderation. No food goes to the bottom, it floats on the top until I turn the return pump back on and the food is sucked down the overflow.

 

[roka64]

You won't ever see much of him. They are close to blind and prefer to stay hidden. I have seen mine come out on rare occasions. If the goby has formed a symbiotic relationship with the shrimp, he will bring the shrimp food. He probably forages the tank at night.

 

[fijiwigi]

You won't ever see much of him. They are close to blind and prefer to stay hidden. I have seen mine come out on rare occasions. If the goby has formed a symbiotic relationship with the shrimp, he will bring the shrimp food. He probably forages the tank at night.

I am just kinda worried about there being food. I added brand new sand a week before I added the goby/shrimp and Don't really feed my fish a lot. Should I drop feed once a week something to fill their bellies

 

[roka64]

You can use a gel based food, it sinks to the bottom. Maybe add that a few times a week. I have a feeling some flake does get to him.

 

[melosu58]

No food goes to the bottom, it floats on the top until I turn the return pump back on and the food is sucked down the overflow.

You should not let it float on the top anyway. Get some in your fingers and go below the surface so the food will go all over the tank esp. the bottom. Look for where your goby is and I`ll bet the pistol is around somewhere close.

 

[fijiwigi]

You should not let it float on the top anyway. Get some in your fingers and go below the surface so the food will go all over the tank esp. the bottom. Look for where your goby is and I`ll bet the pistol is around somewhere close.

Never thought about that thanks. I guess the fish I kinda trained to eat from the water surface. One of these days I will hopefully find the time to go to the grocery store for some home made fish food. Maybe next week. With some chunkier fish food it may sink better.

 

[melosu58]

Sometimes from eating off the surface they will get bloated from the air that they take in and not look so good.

 

[ccCapt]

Try to avoid flake. It's very high in phosphate.

 

[fijiwigi]

Try to avoid flake. It's very high in phosphate.

Just out of curiousity not that I don't trust ya. I took 1cup of RO/DI water added about as much flake food as I feed my 46g tank. 1 small pinch. I tested for phospates right-away it tested 5ppm phospates right after I put in the flake food And the flake food hasn't even dissolved yet 5ppm is the max reading on the phospate scale.
After it dissolves I am sure it is much higher. Looks like I am making a trip to the grocery store for seafood for some home made blender mush.

 

[usmcmarc]

You will eventually see it. Mine were in the tank for months before I got a glimpse of them. All of a sudden a hole and big pile of sand appeared. The goby came out of the hole and hung around the entrance and then I saw the pistol start going in and out the hole moving sand around. It just takes time for them to find a comfortable spot.

 

[melosu58]

I do agree with CCCAPT about the phosphates. They are high in it but IMO so is everything else. I try to feed a variety like flakes, frozen and seaweed selects. I also run a good size fuge to remove alot of the phosphates.

 

[lando]

I would worry too much about the shrimp getting enough food. They seem to get by pretty well. Mine actually comes out a lot, especially at feeding time. As mentioned, they have poor eye sight so he always keeps on antena on the goby at all times while he is out of the cave. If he looses contact with the goby he shoots right back in the hole...amazing relationship to observe.

 

[fijiwigi]

Ok I just saw my shrimp toward the front rock pushing sand out of a hole . The Goby was cruising around right in front of it. Very cool my camera has dead batteries or I would post a photo. It seems as if the shrimp burrowed a tunnel underneath the entire rock about 8" long and when I get close to the goby it darts off inside the hole underneath the rock and comes out slowly to scout out the surroundings. Very interesting stuff and fun to watch.

 

[melosu58]

Congrats

 

[roka64]

My pistol dug up EVERY place under my LR. It's a good thing my rock is on the glass bottom. I have spots with no sand and other spots with about 4-6 inches of sand. Watch when you clean your tank or move something, the shrimp will redecorate.

 

[fijiwigi]

So Will other shrimp cause problems? I was thinking of getting a cleaner shrimp or fire red shrimp. Will this be ok in addition to the pistol shrimp and the orange spot goby? will there be terretorial issues?

 

[lando]

You should have no issues. I keep three skunk cleaners, two fire shirmp and a coral banded shrimp with my pistol.

 

[cmor1701d]

Scott, do you ever see your Pistol?
I have (hitchhiker) that took up residence under my pod pile. I can occasionally see it after lights out, but it never fully comes out of it's den/hole. I only see some claws and what I can see of the shrimp through the glass (hole is along side the glass).

 

[fijiwigi]

Just wanted to post an update. My pistol shrimp hangs out with my goby 24/7 he has burrowwed like 6 tunnels under my live rock. The pistol shrimp is like a bulldozer. The goby and pistol are out in the open all the time now I can almost always see them. Also the cleaner shrimp is Awesome today I saw him actually cleaning my goby and the goby was just chilling like it was getting a massage. This was the first time I saw the cleaning give a good cleaning. Very cool

 

[roka64]

Goby/Shrimp question

Scott, do you ever see your Pistol?
I have (hitchhiker) that took up residence under my pod pile. I can occasionally see it after lights out, but it never fully comes out of it's den/hole. I only see some claws and what I can see of the shrimp through the glass (hole is along side the glass).

I don't see mine much. I'll catch him out and about during feeding. I have a Tangaroa Goby (Ctenogobiops tangaroai) and he blends in with the sand, so sometimes he's out and I don't even notice till he darts into the hole.