How to get a Goby paired with a Pistol Shrimp

[BubbaQue]

I have a Nuvo 16 gallon tank that had a Red High Fin goby paired with a pistol shrimp... Emphasis on HAD. The goby some how manged to jump out overnight even though the top was on. The fish was my daughters favorite fish and so I had to secretly replace "Marty" before she found out.

So I tried to put the new Marty in the tank right next to the shrimp's lair which worked till a snail spooked it and it fled to the other side of the tank to a different hole. It is doing well in the other hole but I am not sure if they will eventually find each other or should I try and chase it back somehow to the other side where the shrimp is at? Does the shrimp need the goby. Total distance apart couldn't be more than 14".

Thanks in advance!

 

[fudrock]

Leave Marty II alone and let him settle into his new environment. Chasing Marty II around the tank just puts a lot of unneeded stress on a fish that's already stressed out.

In a tank that small, my guess is they'll pair up within a month and probably much sooner.

No, Mr. Shrimp doesn't need a goby to survive.

 

[BubbaQue]

Thanks! I will take the wait and see approach. One more question if I may, should I try to put food in the shrimp's hole or will it scavenge enough on its own?

 

[RNich34]

Mine at the peppermint shrimp I put in. lol

 

[MrClam]

When I put an aurora goby in he found the tiger pistol in less than a day.

As for feeding, my pistol comes way out of the burrow and grabs food at feeding time, always with one feeler on the goby. Its actually pretty cool to watch.

 

[BubbaQue]

RNich- My pistol shrimp is only about an 1.25" long. The skunk cleaner shrimp I have is way bigger.
MrClam - I haven’t seen the pistol shrimp since the original Marty took his leap to freedom about two weeks ago. Marty II has been in the tank for over a week and a half. I have seen the sand mound around his burrow change but no sign of the shrimp. I did see the shrimp quite a bit when original Marty was paired up with him.

 

[MrClam]

If the burrow is changing he is likely active at night or around dawn/dusk. In doing my own research before getting the goby/pistol pair I found some people had almost instant pairing while others waited months without any signs. I think the best you can do is just give it time and tell your daughter they had a fight.