Questions about pistol shrimp compatibility

[jtrusnik]

Even if I hadn't lost a fairy wrasse a couple days ago ( ), my tank had room for new residents. But, really, once you get corals, vertebrate life has a way of becoming a backseat issue. I'm considering getting a shrimp/goby pair, but I wasn't sure if the pistol shrimp would be compatible with two other residents of the tank.

The first is a longnosed hawkfish who has a habit of ignoring my only hermit crab. I know that hawks tend to go after shrimps, but if he's already passive and well fed, I would imagine that a nocturnal animal that spends a significant amount of time under the substrate might have a fair chance at survival. However, I also recognize that, in any encouter, the hawk would only have to win once.

The other concern is a feather duster. There are some stories I found online about some of the shrimps moving the tube around to get to a prime tunnel location, but not actually outright attacking them.

Any thoughts?

 

[NaClH2Opgh]

My pistol never ever comes out from under the rocks. I have to look down into the holes that it makes to see it. At night it ventures out to the edge of the holes but that is about it. You better make sure your rocks are stable and resting on the bottom because these things are like an excavator with the amount of sand they move. I was warned and still didn't believe it could be that much and within a week I had rocks leaning into the glass and tilting. It never bothers any of my other fish. It will move whatever is in its way.

 

[cdalmost]

With the goby the shrimp will come out of the hole during the day. The goby will be pretty vigilant, so I doubt the hawk will ever get a chance to strike. At night the hole is sealed. I have a Randall's pistol shrimp with a pair of S. nematodes. Tiger pistols may behave differently.

 

[brettnleslie]

The tiger pistol tends to be a little bigger than the Randle's and it will move more substate. I have both with Yellow Watchman's Gobies. However, Hawkfish are not the best to keep with any type of shrimp. Unless you are real attached to the hawkfish I would get rid of it. I highly recommend the Tiger Pistol and Yellow Watchman's as you will see this pair regularly. I have a Rangel's with a High Fin Goby and ralely see them. I have pairs in all of my tanks and love this relationship.

Also, without the hawkfish you could keep more cleaning inverts like Cleaner Shrimp and Fire Shrimp. These are very diligent cleaners.

Just a few thoughts.

Brett