Pistol Shrimp for Goby !!!

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Copepod

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Oct 6, 2008
Messages
192
Location
Hills of Northern KY
Got a really pretty 2 inch Tiger Pistol Shrimp for my Watchman Goby...I acclimated him for 2 hours by drip method with an airstone and heater...then released him and haven't seen him since !!! The Goby has been in hiding too because I used a ph to clean out the LR and guess I scared him. Maybe they will meet each other during tunneling...LOL.

Sorry don't have cam for pics...
 
You might want to read this Thread. Just In case I do not want to scare you but You might want to start looking for Burrows.
 
Yes, Tank, I did read your thread and felt horrible for you..mine is also about 4 inches long and 1/2 inch wide and is in the 2nd stage of coloring...olive with blue spots..he is very shy and the clown will snatch food right by him and he doesn't do anything. I think they were eating off of a Turbo snail yesterday...he was stuck in the rock and when a got him out I saw where he had been chewed on....still alive though.

The Pistol Shrimp is a good 2 inches long and has about 1/2 inch "pistol" claw. Think I should start moving LR?

----------------

Curly
 
Kind of my opinion too...that Pohnpei rock is HEAVY...I have 2 inch PVC pieces under key rocks and eggcrate under all to keep disasters a bay (hope). I posted a thread a few days ago on the Goby questioning his appetite for shrimp but didn't get a response so figured if I got the biggest I could find it may be alright..I'll keep a positive attitude anyway...I really like them...I did not, however, hear the Pistol last night..just got to hear him once when I put him in the tank...pretty cool !!!!

----------

Curly
 
Still MIA.....lifted up one really big piece of LR at the end where I saw the Goby when he was munching on the Turbo and saw no sign of any burrow. They have probably built a winding burrow between the PVC pieces that are under the big pieces of LR. I am going to sit by the tank tonight and hopefully hear or see something..
 
Wish I could have paired them, but have had the Goby for 2 weeks...he was eating well but shy and stayed at the back of the tank...could be due to the window by the tank and the sun...aren't they both more or less nocturnal creatures?
 
Hey Frankie !!! I Found 'Em....I couldn't stand it any longer.. 38 hours MIA was bugging me since I had messed with some LR. I picked up the other piece next to the one I had picked up before and there they were....sleeping together !!! They both looked up like DUH??? They looked sleepy...I think they were confused or stuck...anyway..they both went under the rock again together, and moving so guess they are fine...put some food down for them.

-----------------

Curly
 
Update...I only heard him "click" once last night...did a PWC early this AM and both are alive and seem OK...I'm going to leave them alone now..wonder why they are so tired?
 
Fantastic. I was kind of worried your Gobi ate him up... Watchman's are sweet to have and they are eaters but I was sadden when I saw him eat up his friend. so I let him go. gave him away to the LFS. I did not even want credit for him. So they got a good donation from me. But I did get a new one a smaller Orange Spotted Gobi. Not looking to pair him with a Pistol though.
 
I loved my orange-spotted Goby...he was busy as a bee...chomping mothfulls of sand and sifting it through his gills...my sand was spotless...He would leap up into the water and glide to get something to eat...he had no fear and a lot of personality..Enjoy!!! Glad you got one.l

The Goby was out around 11:00 this AM and I kept trying to get food to him, but the Clarkii kept stealing it....then he would turn around and drop some food to him...still haven't seen the Pistol eat. . .still in hiding...I did see him this AM early though so know he is alive. How did you feed yours? I got some raw shrimp for them..I microwave it for a few seconds..just little pieces and he likes those .. the Goby...I have ordered some large pellets of New Spectrum and pellets of Formula 2. Also have some Reef Bugs coming...don't know if they are worthwhile or not. I will soak all in Selcon first. Am I on the right track with these guys?

-------------

Curly
 
Your Goby will give the shrimp some food but if they aren't paired up then your shrimp will scavenge the sandbed.
 
I used Frozen Mysis Shrimp and Prime Reef They loved that stuff



I loved my orange-spotted Goby...he was busy as a bee...chomping mothfulls of sand and sifting it through his gills...my sand was spotless...He would leap up into the water and glide to get something to eat...he had no fear and a lot of personality..Enjoy!!! Glad you got one.l

The Goby was out around 11:00 this AM and I kept trying to get food to him, but the Clarkii kept stealing it....then he would turn around and drop some food to him...still haven't seen the Pistol eat. . .still in hiding...I did see him this AM early though so know he is alive. How did you feed yours? I got some raw shrimp for them..I microwave it for a few seconds..just little pieces and he likes those .. the Goby...I have ordered some large pellets of New Spectrum and pellets of Formula 2. Also have some Reef Bugs coming...don't know if they are worthwhile or not. I will soak all in Selcon first. Am I on the right track with these guys?

-------------

Curly
 
I use that too...been soaking in Selcon...didn't see the Pistol last night or hear him at all...New problem....I think their entrance to their burrow is where Tang likes to sleep...the Goby stayed there all night trying to guard the burrow entrance (I can't really see it) and Tang stayed on top of it trying to slice the Goby with his little scalpels. He was determined to drive them out. The Goby hung in there and was still there this AM. Gads...75 gallons of water and everyone wants to stay in 1 cup..LOL.

Hope the Pistol shows some action today...it can't be good to stay under the sand all the time...he might have been cruising last night and I just didn't see him. According to the info I have been reading...this species is supposed to be pretty mellow.

Let you know if he shows up...love your new addition.

-----------------

Curly
 
News on the Tiger Pistol...don't know if it is good or bad....I found a molt early this AM....looked like the usual molt, but since I never had a Pistol shrimp, I don't know for sure....the body skin looks like normal molt, but the claws look real...they are hard...anyone with experience with these shrimp know if that is the normal molt? That would account for his being MIA for so many days...and for not hearing his clicks..if it is normal molt, how many days before he can make his clicking sounds?
 
Prolly OK. I've had plenty varieties of shrimp molt in the first days of a new tank. Pistols too. All shrimp stay kinda low key when molting since they're more vulnerable then.
 
:Dyou were right, Ray....The Pistol Shrimp is alive !!! Yesterday AM early I found 3 Formula 1 pellets lined up in a row in front of the Goby...this AM, I saw movement under the sand and signs of excavating and there he was!!! Digging his burrow !!! Boy, what a relief to know he is alive and not injured or anything. I guess I can surmise that this "relationship" is going to be a success...Hurray !!!!

Thanks to all for your encouragement and info.

----------------

Curly
 
Back
Top Bottom