Need Shrimp/Goby help.

[riley290]

I recieved my pair of Randall's gobies and their tiger pistol shrimp on saturday. After acclimation the pistol immediately began building the burrow and eventually the fish found him. As of this morning the fish were on the other side of the tank from the burrow and most if not all of the burrow openings had been filled with sand. This afternoon I found a small piece of the tiger pistol which I assume is a molt because it is a very thin smooth tail piece colored just like him.

Now, I do have a gorilla crab on the loose so here's my question(s).

1. When pistol shrimp molt do they kick out the gobies and close up the burrow a bit?

2. Or did he get killed by the crab?

 

[Anemone]

Shrimp constantly fill in tunnels and burrow new ones, so having tunnels closed off is not surprising. As far as the gobies, they may be out on their own for a while or the shrimp could be dead, the shrimp don't generally "kick the gobies out."

You probably found a molt, but you won't know for sure for up to several months. Yep, I said months. I've had both my tiger pistol shrimp and my yellow watchman goby disappear for up to three months without a trace, only to suddenly reappear like nothing happened (and it wasn't for lack of looking, I was by the tank day and night with a flashlight looking for one or the other at various times and saw no sign whatsoever).

At least you can see your gobies.

Kevin

 

[risika67]

My pistol shrimp closes up his borrows at night and re-opens them in the day. I would guess he is holed up because of his molt. Also, my pistol shrimp has a tunnel from one side to the other in my 46g tank. He can cross the whole thing without ever coming out in the open!