Goby and Pistol Shrimp..One DIED

[reefngeek]

Hey guys,

So I just found my goby on the ground carpet surfing. It managed to even with a cover. So now I am left with a pistol shrimp. Do I need to give it a goby for its survival? And if I place a goby in the tank, will it be sure to pair with the shrimp?

Any input would help.

Thanks:dance:

 

[Betta132]

You don't need a goby to keep the shrimp alive, but it will be very secretive.
It's not definite, but another shrimpgoby or watchman goby should pair up. Any goby with that bulldog will be a good bet... What kind of shrimp? Do you know?

 

[MacWilliams]

What kind of Goby did you have? I have a YWG and it has never gone farther than a few inches from its den. Would never suspect it to jump. I have had Diamond Gobys and never had luck as they always jumped and just kept doing it till i was too worried it would hurt it self and got the YWG.

 

[reefngeek]

It was a orange diamond spotted goby and the shrimp is a tiger pistol shrimp.

 

[Betta132]

Tiger pistols are pretty versatile, from what I've seen. An orange diamond spotted might be best to add, since you know your tiger will accept one, but most larger-ish ones should be alright.
The jumping could have been a sign of fright... Gobies dash when startled, sometimes they dash right out of the tank instead of down into their burrows.

 

[Triggerfish]

i've got a pair and never see the pistol..seems always stays in the back mostly in the den. my YWG normally stays close by. wondering if w/o the pistol he would be out more?
does the gobie bring the shrimp food? i never see the thing eat.

 

[SaltyWalter]

The orange diamond gobies don't make very good pairs with pistols in my opinion and experience, and they really like to jump.

I would grab a watchman to pair them back up, or if you want a smaller fish look into Yashia, Randall's, Hi Fins or someone of that sort to pair the shrimp with.

When you do get a new fish, I would find out where your pistol is and fill in his den, then add the fish near his location, if he gets to work on fixing the den the fish will be much more likely to find him and pair up.

 

[Betta132]

Don't fill in the den entirely, he'll relocate. Just shove some sand over the entrance.
I like Wheeler's shrimpgobies. They're cooperative.
It depends on the pistol... Sometimes they'll come out a lot, sometimes they won't. Having a goby tends to make them come out more... IME, they hide a LOT when they don't have a watchdog.

 

[Fish Biscuit]

If you get another goby it will pair up. I remember reading something that they find each other by a chemical reaction. I lost a yasha goby & my tiger pistol was on his own for a month until I got the randall. The shrimp hid more after losing the fish except when the tank was fed since he had to find his own meals. The pistol needs the fish for survival & won't go far without a guard on duty for sure.

I found the yasha to be much more shy than the randall. I recently lost the shrimp & am debating getting another pistol. The fish doesn't care much about being on his own & hangs with the fire shrimp.

 

[kerrylynne]

shrimp/pistol pair

shrimp/pistol pair

I have an orange spotted and a striped pistol that were bought separately and they paired up almost instantly, even though the shrimp is half the size of the goby. doesn't jump or even leave the substrate although moves around the tank a lot (with the shrimp following and bulldozing under him even out in the open!).