How long before you declare something missing for good?

Coelli

Coelli

New member
We picked up a yellow watchman/pistol shrimp pair this weekend. The pistol shrimp was pretty small, only 1" long or so. They were so cute as they stuck together like glue during the acclimation process... but they got separated when they entered the tank, the goby took off to one part of the LR and the shrimp went to another.

The goby has since emerged and staked out his place in a cave under the LR, but the shrimp hasn't reappeared. We did hear him clicking in the LR that night but haven't heard him since, which of course doesn't mean anything, but it made me wonder, how long do we wait before declaring him KIA and get the goby a new buddy? We're not giving up on the pistol yet; other than a small nimble spray crab there's really nothing in the tank that can eat him and we have hope that he'll eventually find his way out of the LR and rejoin his buddy. How long would you wait? Thanks!
 
I released a pair of pretty large Blue Gudgeon Dartfish into my 75 gallon tank and they headed straight for the rocks. These were pretty large as I said maybe 4" long and I never saw them for the next four weeks until I had to tear the tank apart to take out all the fish. There they were, safe and sound, and not even looking skinny so a little tiny shrimp? It might be awhile but there is a strong possibility that it's just fine. I understand it won't hurt to get another one though I have no experience with that.
 
My Ocellaris clown was MIA for several months, I searched the overflow and sump with no luck. Months later he turned up in the overflow.
 
I got my established 55g tank 9 weeks ago. It came with a fully grown Royal Gramma. 8 weeks ago I got Banded Coral Shrimp that disappeared between rocks in 3 seconds flat. I have not seen 'Bandi' for 10 days, and then, only a glimpse of its claw. Since then, I saw the shrimp for good 50 seconds and only in fast passing between rocks.
Last that I saw the Royal Gramma was about two weeks ago and it looked less than happy. Since then I keep an eye out near the overflow comb for its carcass. I am still hopeful. since I have not seen a NO3 spike . . . . But then, you never know. . . Tom
 
My tank is only 29g (about 25g for the display) so I figure he's gotta turn up sometime... I just don't want to give up and get another shrimp, hook it up with the goby, and then the first little guy shows up and his stuff is outside the door and the locks have been changed. :D
 
2 years is my record.

OTOH, while the shrimp-goby pair is cute for a while, as they get older, they get cranky. Mine killed his yellow watchman goby, then went on to do in 2 chromis and a firefish, all with the tell-tale red spot in the same place on the side. I practically took my tank apart to get that little monster out and delivered to the lfs. Species was tiger shrimp.
 
Lol, yeah I've had fish MIA for years that I only found when I did a tear down and found them swimming around in the bottom of the tank. Granted, that was a bit bigger than 29gallons but I've learned that the only 100% certainty is when I find a body. There's an awful lot of places to hide in live rock.
 
Sk8r said:
2 years is my record.

OTOH, while the shrimp-goby pair is cute for a while, as they get older, they get cranky. Mine killed his yellow watchman goby, then went on to do in 2 chromis and a firefish, all with the tell-tale red spot in the same place on the side. I practically took my tank apart to get that little monster out and delivered to the lfs. Species was tiger shrimp.
Click to expand...

Oh man! This guy is a red-banded pistol shrimp. I really hope he's not a killer. :( He should only be about 2/3 the size of a tiger so maybe that'll keep him in line, assuming he ever decides to show up. Well, I did want live rock with lots of nooks and crannies... :P
 
I have a little candy cane pistol that went in at the end of July to replace a tiger pistol I lost from old age. The goby has never found the shrimp. I do hear clicking so I know he's in there. Last week was the first time I've seen the shrimp in about a month & I haven't seen him since. He is super tiny but finding things to eat on his own.
 
If I find a body or see a decent spike in PO4/NO3 then I can safely say it's dead. I had a pistol shrimp do the same thing for a long time too. Just give it time and your attention :-)
 
Fish Biscuit said:
I have a little candy cane pistol that went in at the end of July to replace a tiger pistol I lost from old age. The goby has never found the shrimp. I do hear clicking so I know he's in there. Last week was the first time I've seen the shrimp in about a month & I haven't seen him since. He is super tiny but finding things to eat on his own.
Click to expand...

Sounds like the same type of shrimp we got! Well, I hope he finds his way out of the LR eventually. He wasn't cheap. :D
 
For sure don't replace him yet. I replaced my Ocellaris with a maroon clown. Now my Ocellaris lives in the sump.
 
Bought a small coral banded shrimp and put him in my 90. Never saw him once for about 6 months. Now I know where to look for him, I'll occasionally see a claw and once in a great while, the whole shrimp. Not the most entertaining addition to my tank but good to know he's still in there (I think, haven't seen him again in a couple of weeks). My bet is hiding.

Matt
 
i put a yellow coris wrasse in my dt several weeks ago. i've seen him 3 times. i wish he'd come out and stay out because he's very pretty and adds a lot of color. i'm always surprised when he pops up out of the sand because i keep giving up on ever seeing him.
 
I saw the shrimp! Or at least part of him, for a split second. He made a burrow under the live rock at the very back of the tank. He's a little far from the goby's territory but at least now they're both on the ground floor and might find each other, and at least we know he's alive. That's kind of a dead spot back there so he should find food that gets stuck there too. Sheesh. The most exciting thing in the tank at this point is the crab and the snails. :P They don't hide!
 
Glad to hear you found him. I have 3 peppermint shrimp (at least I think there's still 3). There's only 1 that I'll occasionally see. The others I'll catch a glimpse of once in a blue moon such as on a rock in middle of the night or seeing antennas sticking out of rock during the day. My blue gudgeon dartfish trio took about 1 1/2 weeks to really start making appearances.
 
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