Multiple Pistol Shrimps

[androal]

Im in the process of moving, and "temporarily" put a pistol shrimp and a goby in a second tank that already had a pistol shrimp and a goby in it.

The two shrimp's paired up immediately with the resident goby, leaving the other goby all alone, and a bit freaked out by the very aggressive watchman.

What should I do?

1 - Should I try and move the lonely goby and leave the newly paired up shrimp? Then get more shrimp for the new tank?

or...

2 - Should I leave the goby and put more pistol shrimp in the tank in hopes that twos company but three or four shrimps a crowd - will they pair up and make their own tunnels separately? Or will they always compete for the same space leaving four shrimp, with one aggressively guarding watchman?

It'd be great to have two sets of watchman goby's and shrimp, but the tanks not that big (55 gallon) and I'm concerned they'll be perpetually competing in the small space...

 

[snorvich]

I would remove one of the gobies.

 

[Betta132]

Leave the shrimp alone (that's reasonably unusual and should be cool to watch) and remove whichever goby you like least.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Leave everything as is for the time being. The other goby may find the pr of shrimp and other goby and take up residence with them. On many occassions I have seen multiple species of watchman gobies living together with the same shrimp.

 

[androal]

Take a look at the attached photo. The two pistols are hanging out with the one golden watchman goby. The second goby seems to be hanging out at another entrance to the extensive caves they keep building.

You can hardly make out the second goby in the photos, but he's right there in the upper-left-hand corner.


Looks like they might all get along after all!

 

[Code4]

How did this story end?

Shelley

 

[ThRoewer]

I have 3 pistol shrimp in a 18 in cube - one pair of randalli shrimp and a lone candy cane male.
The randallis live with my high-fin goby pair under a rock at one corner of the tank while the candy cane lives under a rock on the other side of the tank.
There have been no problems so far and I'm sure if I add another goby to pair up with the candy cane it would also work out as these gobies don't roam around (much).

So, if I was in your place I would add another shrimp, preferably a different species but one that doesn't get much bigger than the one you have right now.
I would pre-dig a hole under some rock where you want them to settle and place the shrimp near or inside it. The shrimp will likely start digging right away and the homeless goby will eventually find him.

 

[GT350pwns]

I have a pair of yashas that share a home with a pair of candy stripe (randall's) pistols. They all get along great.

 

[ThRoewer]

I have a pair of yashas that share a home with a pair of candy stripe (randall's) pistols. They all get along great.

If they are pairs there is no reason why they shouldn't get along. That's how they mostly live in the wild.

BTW: Are the Alpheus spp. that are traded as candy canes really the same species as Alpheus randalli?
I noticed a clear color difference: The ones I got as Alpheus randalli are just red and white/clear while the candy canes are red (darker) and white and have also a significant amount of yellow/orange in their markings.

 

[GT350pwns]

If they are pairs there is no reason why they shouldn't get along. That's how they mostly live in the wild.

BTW: Are the Alpheus spp. that are traded as candy canes really the same species as Alpheus randalli?
I noticed a clear color difference: The ones I got as Alpheus randalli are just red and white/clear while the candy canes are red (darker) and white and have also a significant amount of yellow/orange in their markings.

From all of my reading, candy canes and Alpheus randalli are on in the same. Just generic hobby name vs latin name.

Now, alpheus randalli and and alpheus spp are two different species of pistol shrimp. IIRC, alpheus sp are more closely related to the tiger pistol (alpheus bellulus) and grow to be larger than the Randalli. Every candy cane pistol I have seen sold locally can be identified as Alpheus Randalli.

The shrimp in the photos that OP has provided look, to my eyes, to be Alpheus Sp.

Disclaimer:

This information is from my readings on the subject. If there is someone more knowledgeable in this matter, please feel free to chime in!