jawfish and pistol shrimp

[Purple Penguins]

so I was given a pistol shrimp tonight unsure of species and not able to get a pic due to it feeling the my yellow head jawfishs home was the place for it, was kinda crazy, when i put the pistol in the tank the jawfish at first thought it was food since its so small its less than 1/2 " so she goes after it to eat it and it makes its lovely snapping noise so she fleas to her hole pistol shrimp following, pistol shrimp decided that her hole was nice and moved right in and at first she was confused like what is in my lovely hole I work so hard on each and everyday, but then she is completely cool with it, so my question is... is it possible for a pistole shrimp and a yellow head jawfish to have a comensal relationship?

any help would be great

thanks
found this pic on the net. not mine but my pistol looks similar to this one but not dark tips on claws

 

[Tennyson]

If this had happened to me, I'd think they'd have a commensal relationship. But it might be too early to tell. If they continue to stay together, that would be quite interesting. I think it could be possible since Jawfish are slightly similar to gobys. But I might be a little worried, the pistol shrimp might get a little hungry at night, and maybe have a snack on your jawfish if they are living in the same hole.

 

[Pea-brain]

Strange....Jawfish are more related to dottybacks BTW.

Also, pistol shrimp in the Caribbean do not form commensal relationships with any type of goby or anything to my knowledge. Very strange.

Tennyson's warning good be very real....I'd feel better if I could ID it. If it is a pistol that has a commensal relationship with gobies it may have mistaken the jawfish for a goby...maybe....

Dan

 

[Purple Penguins]

i hope my jawfish doesnt become a snack, she is pretty big, and that pistol is so small, I think if the shrimp tried anything funny she would just abandon her hole and start over, so far she is still ok with it being in her hole but we will see, it might die, she has many cave in's and has to start over about once a week maybe the shrimp will get burried alive, maybe someone else has some thoughts.

Also I have had the feeling there may be another pistol shrimp in this tank, the tank is about a year and a half and have heard clicks/pops/snaps in bursts of usually 3 and only usually at night, never had any strange deaths

 

[mikchabe]

I would expect the jawfish will get tired of its "roommate" and move in the near future. The pistol shrimp is used to a commensal relationship, but the jawfish isn't (it would be cool though).

I love the colors of your pistol shrimp. Never seen one like it (I have a orange one now).

If you do have a second pistol shrimp in your tank, its likely they'll fight.

 

[philter4]

pistol shrimp in the Caribbean do not form commensal relationships with any type of goby or anything to my knowledge.

Pea-brain
There is one pair, the banner goby, Microgobius microlepis, that pairs up with a pistol shrimp in shallow mud flats. The fish isn't that pretty and not found on the reef so it is only rarely collected for the pet trade. It is the only one in this area (FL or the Caribbean) that pairs up. I have set up a planted tank (see marine plant forum) and it is one of the animals that I would like so in the spring I'll try to collect a pair in a spot where I have seen them in the past.

edit: I was wrong,(not the first time) according to Paul Humann REEF FISH IDENTIFICATION the orangespot goby, Nes longus, also lives with shrimp see pg 283 of 3rd edition for photo.