I just purchased a very nice Pistol Shrimp! A fine looking specimen! I was a little concerned that he never comes out of his cave which he so expertly dug under my live rock. Is this common? I have been spot feeding him big chunks of frozen food which he takes eagerly, but for some reason I thought I would seem him scavenging around the sand bed a little more. Am I mistaken? Will I never see him out and about? That would be a shame because he really is very beautifully colored; bright red with some light pink spots!
Pistol Shrimp Question
- Thread starter bradley01
- Start date
There are pistol shrimp that do not form mutualistic relationships w/ gobies, but from what I have read these pistol shrimp do not burrow with the frequency of the pistols who do partner w/ gobies.
Since you said your shrimp created a burrow, I would guess it is a type of pistol shrimp that often pairs w/ a so-called shrimp goby (just note, however, that no one can be certain of this unless you are certain of the shrimp's scientific name or you post a clear photo of the shrimp in question.) It is believed that these pistols form this relationship w/ the goby because they have relatively poor eyesight, and the goby offers them a measure of protection from predation.
If you pistol is one that typically shares its burrow w/ a goby, then it is unlikely to leave that burrow w/out a goby for protection. If you cut off its food source w/out providing it a safe way to obtain food, it will probably be more likely that the shrimp will perish. At the very least, it will be stressed, I would think. If you have no way of providing the shrimp w/ the safety it needs to be viewable, you may want to return it to the store where you purchased it. Or continue to spot feed it; you do get to see the shrimp when it comes out for its meal.
Since you said your shrimp created a burrow, I would guess it is a type of pistol shrimp that often pairs w/ a so-called shrimp goby (just note, however, that no one can be certain of this unless you are certain of the shrimp's scientific name or you post a clear photo of the shrimp in question.) It is believed that these pistols form this relationship w/ the goby because they have relatively poor eyesight, and the goby offers them a measure of protection from predation.
If you pistol is one that typically shares its burrow w/ a goby, then it is unlikely to leave that burrow w/out a goby for protection. If you cut off its food source w/out providing it a safe way to obtain food, it will probably be more likely that the shrimp will perish. At the very least, it will be stressed, I would think. If you have no way of providing the shrimp w/ the safety it needs to be viewable, you may want to return it to the store where you purchased it. Or continue to spot feed it; you do get to see the shrimp when it comes out for its meal.
Elysia,
The shrimp never comes out for a meal. It only sticks its claws out from the burrow. Perhaps I will get him a shrimp goby as a friend/watchdog. My only concern is that the shrimp goby will fight with my Green Clown Goby and/or Rainfordi Goby.
What are your thoughts on compatibilities?
Thanks for your comments!
The shrimp never comes out for a meal. It only sticks its claws out from the burrow. Perhaps I will get him a shrimp goby as a friend/watchdog. My only concern is that the shrimp goby will fight with my Green Clown Goby and/or Rainfordi Goby.
What are your thoughts on compatibilities?
Thanks for your comments!
Bradley,
I have not owned a Rainford's goby... at least, not yet!
I do have a Randall's shrimp goby in a 24 gallon Aquapod (Amblyeleotris randalli) with a green clown/coral goby. These two fish have no problems with one another, as they are in two totally different areas of the tank. Because my Randall's doesn't have a pistol shrimp to dig a burrow for it, it lives in a live rock cave towards the bottom of the tank.
I have read that the Rainford's goby is also a surface dweller. If your tank has sufficient rock work, I don't think the two together would be a problem. I have a firefish living w/ my gobies, and it also is a crevice dweller. The Randall's just opens it mouth very wide and flicks its dorsal fin when it feels the firefish (which is at least an inch larger than the Randall's) gets too close.
That being said, the Randall's is a relatively small shrimp goby, only growing to 3 1/2" and apparently growing to that size quite slowly. Since the Rainford gets to be about 2 1/2" I would suggest adding only a smaller shrimp goby (as some can grow up to 5" in length; your Rainford's would probably appreciate one no more than about 3 1/2")
You can look for gobies from the genra Amblyeleotris, Stonogobiops, Cryptocentrus, or Ctenogobiops. You may want to check if the species that you are interested in does infact pair w/ pistol shrimp. I would think that, as long you do not chose one that has horizontal stipes like the Rainford's, you will be unlikely to have problems with your current fish species.
Good luck! I hope you get to see your shrimp more often.
I have not owned a Rainford's goby... at least, not yet!
I do have a Randall's shrimp goby in a 24 gallon Aquapod (Amblyeleotris randalli) with a green clown/coral goby. These two fish have no problems with one another, as they are in two totally different areas of the tank. Because my Randall's doesn't have a pistol shrimp to dig a burrow for it, it lives in a live rock cave towards the bottom of the tank.
I have read that the Rainford's goby is also a surface dweller. If your tank has sufficient rock work, I don't think the two together would be a problem. I have a firefish living w/ my gobies, and it also is a crevice dweller. The Randall's just opens it mouth very wide and flicks its dorsal fin when it feels the firefish (which is at least an inch larger than the Randall's) gets too close.
That being said, the Randall's is a relatively small shrimp goby, only growing to 3 1/2" and apparently growing to that size quite slowly. Since the Rainford gets to be about 2 1/2" I would suggest adding only a smaller shrimp goby (as some can grow up to 5" in length; your Rainford's would probably appreciate one no more than about 3 1/2")
You can look for gobies from the genra Amblyeleotris, Stonogobiops, Cryptocentrus, or Ctenogobiops. You may want to check if the species that you are interested in does infact pair w/ pistol shrimp. I would think that, as long you do not chose one that has horizontal stipes like the Rainford's, you will be unlikely to have problems with your current fish species.
Good luck! I hope you get to see your shrimp more often.
I have a Tiger pistol and a yellow watchman goby and they inseperable. My pistol shrimp ventures out all the time despite some large tangs and strong current, hes always care ful to have his backup with him though. Mine is a ton of fun and is all over the tank. Just an FYI though I hope ur rocks are either very sturdy or sitting on the glass.... because if he can get under them, they will collapse and fall... its not if... its when... they are super tough... when i got mine he was less than an inch, now 5 years later hes about 3. He was a great addition to my tank and Ill never have another tank without one.
I have a yellow watchmen goby and a tiger pistol shrimp. They should find each other with no problem unless you have a really big tank. By the way my pistol comes out for about 5 minutes at a time to dig around and grab stuff for his burrough. The watchmen is really protective of him. Very cool.
My tank is only 29 gallons, so i'm hoping they will find each other very soon...assuming that they will pair up!
I have done some research on my Pistol Shrimp and tried to ID it. It appears to be a Randall's Pistol, but it doesn't look exactly like the ones in the pictures I have seen. It is mostly red with some pink spots all the way up its back. Then it has the same pinkish colored markings on its pinchers. It is difficult to get pictures of it since I have to move around my rock and try and nab the little sucker!
I'm hoping that my Tangaroa Goby will pair up with him because I would like to see him out and about the tank more often.
You mentioned that your pistol comes out and forages for things for his burrow. What kind of things? Do you put rubble out for him to use as building material?
I have done some research on my Pistol Shrimp and tried to ID it. It appears to be a Randall's Pistol, but it doesn't look exactly like the ones in the pictures I have seen. It is mostly red with some pink spots all the way up its back. Then it has the same pinkish colored markings on its pinchers. It is difficult to get pictures of it since I have to move around my rock and try and nab the little sucker!
I'm hoping that my Tangaroa Goby will pair up with him because I would like to see him out and about the tank more often.
You mentioned that your pistol comes out and forages for things for his burrow. What kind of things? Do you put rubble out for him to use as building material?
mollymonticello
Member
I bought an Alpheus ochristriatus about a year ago and already had a Yasha goby. They're not compatible in the wild, so they didn't pair up. Ever. A few weeks ago, I found a wheeler's goby, which does pair up with the kind of shrimp I have in the wild. Within hours, the two had found each other and were building a burrow. They don't fight with the Yasha or any of my other gobies at all. I have about 10 small gobies in a 55 gallon tank.
I have a feeling the shrimp you have is not compatible with the goby you bought. Do you know what kind of shrimp you have? If not, Do you have a picture of your shrimp? I should be able to ID it.
1st car, what kind of shrimp do you have? If they are not compatible, a persistent goby can actually be killed by a non-compatible pistol shrimp.
I have a feeling the shrimp you have is not compatible with the goby you bought. Do you know what kind of shrimp you have? If not, Do you have a picture of your shrimp? I should be able to ID it.
1st car, what kind of shrimp do you have? If they are not compatible, a persistent goby can actually be killed by a non-compatible pistol shrimp.
Well, to answer your question (which I'm not sure was directed towards me), I thinky shrimp is a pink-spotted pistol. I don't know the real name because I haven't been able to find it at all; inany of my research. The LFS didn't even have a name for it...grrrr! To describe it, it kind of looks like a Randall's Shrimp because of it's spot pattern, but bacwards. The Randalls red spots/stripes in this case are pink and where the white/clear on a Randalls is solid red in this case. I have not been able to get a shot of the shrimp because I don't feel like digging for it. He eats very well, but I find spot feeding him to be a PITA. If only my Tangaroa Goby would pair with him! It would be a beautiful pair!
Any ideas? I though about digging them both out and pairing them up in a breeder net, but I'm worried about what you just said about the shrimp killing the fish.
Thanks!
Any ideas? I though about digging them both out and pairing them up in a breeder net, but I'm worried about what you just said about the shrimp killing the fish.
Thanks!
I will get pics of both the goby and the shrimp. I am just starting the marine tanks so alot of the names and differences in the gobys and shrimp as well as many other things still excape me.
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Bradley & 1stcar, do your pistol shrimp have one claw larger than the other? Pistol shrimps will (although I guess it is possible that they would be the same size if the snapping claw was lost and was in the process of growing back to size through molting.)
I guess a pistol shrimp could be mistaken for a Enoplometopus spp. reef lobster. You may want to check that out.
I guess a pistol shrimp could be mistaken for a Enoplometopus spp. reef lobster. You may want to check that out.
Mine definatelyhas different sized claws. It is a true pistol shrimp. In fact mine looks like 1stcar's.
1stcar, does your shrimp have pink or light red spots? It looks SO similar to mine and it is beautiful! How did yours come out and move around? How long have you had it? Do you know what it's name is? Did your goby pair with it easily and quickly? How did you pair them?
1stcar, does your shrimp have pink or light red spots? It looks SO similar to mine and it is beautiful! How did yours come out and move around? How long have you had it? Do you know what it's name is? Did your goby pair with it easily and quickly? How did you pair them?
Yeah it has light pink/white spots. It is pretty much as big as the fish that are in my tank and has excavated the entire undrside of my live rock. lol. And thank you for the comment. To get him to come out i took a kabob skewer and rolled it in formula 1 before feeding. Let it sit to the side while feeding the fish. Then ran the skewer down the side of the tank wedged it in the sand and let him investigate while i took pics. I used a wood skewer. As far as pairing the two??????????? They will not have anything to do with each other. Everytime the goby gets near the shrimp..... POW. I am starting to think they are non compatible. That is why i was asking for some advice and posted the pictures of mine. I like my goby for its blue spots and bright yellow eyes but i want the symbyotic relationship as i find them the coolest part of animals. And i love gobies by themselves so a combo sounded awsome. As for the name of the shrimp (Alpheus bisincisus) Japanese Pistol Shrimp or red pistol shrimp is the ID I made.
