Pistol control

[matt randazzo]

Is there a way to force a pistol to burrow in the spot you want it to?
Lets say if I wanted it to burrow in one of the front corners of my tank, could I trap it under a container in the corner until it builds its home there? Or will it "relocate" once its not confined to the container...?

 

[SparseReef]

They're pretty much a free spirit when it comes to where they want to burrow (and what they want to pull down under the sand). That said, I have two large base rocks in my tank (each about 18" across) with about 8" of uncovered sand between them and the pistol has never left the one side of the tank. I think they'll move all over the place as long as they have rocks over them, but mine seems to avoid moving across open sand (unless he's out with the goby on a hunting expedition).

You could try getting it to live under a rock near the front of the tank, but if the area is too small or it decides it doesn't like it anymore it will probably pack up and move somewhere else.

Good luck!

 

[jdwreefer]

You can introduce him to the tank at the spot you want him but it don't mean he'll stay there. I got a red banded one that stayed in the spot I added him for a year now, but a tiger pistol I added 2 months ago moved all the way to the other side of the aquarium right away. If you have a goby that pairs with that pistol, and let the shrimp go at the goby's cave, and they pair up, the shrimp and goby will usually stay there.

 

[y0ung0ne]

Mine has burrows throughout the tank wont stay in one spot to long fun to watch though.

 

[mndfreeze]

My candy cane (red striped) stays in the same general area but has burrows under the rock and sand all over, just only really uses one or two entrances.

My Tiger builds mazes as wide as my tank is basically, just all under the rock and sand.

Both have paired gobies.