problems with pistol shrimp/goby combo in tank:

Sk8r

Staff member
RC Mod
notably dartfish, firefish: mysterious deaths finally nailed down: the tiger pistol shrimp will not tolerate intrusions into its goby's burrow at night.
Symptoms: bright red bruising, several days running, followed by fish death.

Dartfish are not outstandingly bright, when they're sleepy, apparently.

I also suspect the tiger pistol in the demise of another goby.

At risk: jawfish, small wrasses, small gobies, any fish that sleeps in the rocks or in a tunnel.
 
notably dartfish, firefish: mysterious deaths finally nailed down: the tiger pistol shrimp will not tolerate intrusions into its goby's burrow at night.
Symptoms: bright red bruising, several days running, followed by fish death.

Dartfish are not outstandingly bright, when they're sleepy, apparently.

I also suspect the tiger pistol in the demise of another goby.

At risk: jawfish, small wrasses, small gobies, any fish that sleeps in the rocks or in a tunnel.

That is very interesting. I have a flashing tile fish that lives in the same burrow as my shrimp/goby. On the other hand, I may have had a mysterious disappearance a while ago. I also have an alpheus soror (a pistol shrimp that is not symbiotic) and it is intolerant of anything in its area. That includes me cleaning the tank.
 
I haven't had any problems with any of my fish (dartfish, clown, gramma, wrasses), except for my 3" striped bristletooth tang.

In each of the last two months, I've noticed an irregularly shaped white area appear overnight on the side of his mouth. I'm convinced that he's getting burned from the heat when my pistol shrimp's discharges it's claw, as this tang occasionally goes after the two gobies that the pistol is paired with.

I'm guessing he chases them too far into their burrow and the pistol let's him have it. Each time the tang has healed completely in 2 days. I wish he'd learn his lesson and keep away from them. :worried2:
 
Just thought I'd post an update; the LFS said there was something wront with the fish (possibly an infection of the gill area) and exchanged it for another so I've got a new goby going into quarantine tonight. Thanks for reading and commenting.
 
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