Scolymia/Trachyphyllia with Pistol Shrimp and Hermits?

[cab395]

Hi all. I've been seriously considering adding either a scolymia or trachy to my sandbed and have the perfect spot for it, but in my infinite list o mistakes, I added a pistol shrimp to my tank which LOVES to turn everything over. That could be considered a good thing if I didn't want to put anything on the sand, but now I do. Anyone have any success with these somewhat fragile species (more so scoly's) with a pistol shrimp and hermits?

Thanks!

 

[Craigdillman]

Just recently add a beautiful brain coral....... from my brothers tank after some harassment from his pistol goby pair always covering it, but he does have a small 14 gallon tank so i guess it depends on where the pistol lives in your tank, i think it would be fine as long as you watched it, i got lots of hermits in my tank and they don't bother the brain at all

 

[cab395]

That doesn't sound too promising. Maybe I'll rethink getting something for the sand bed for awhile. No sense in spending money on a piece that's going to get bothered constantly by and overzealous shrimp. Thanks for the heads up!

 

[wyattroa]

You also have to consider the shrimp stealing food from the scoly when you feed it.. used to happen all the time with mine. I ended up having to cover my scoly anytime I fed it with a plastic cup.

 

[auburnreefer110]

I have what you are talking about going on right now in my 90 gallon. I have beautiful Aussie brains, lobes, and everyday I have to blow the piles of sand off them. It sucks, and there is no way your gonna make them not do it. I have a long feeder tube with a sharp end and when I see them come up while pushing dirt I try to stab them (gobie, and shrimp) whenever I can to maybe scare them. They still keep doing it all day, but when I do catch them flush flush flush. Worst mistake I made was getting them.

 

[cab395]

I really think that my goby (yellow watchman) would be okay on his own with the sand bed corals, but his little buddy would probably have to go. I don't see myself being able to catch him and he was here first, so who am I to evict him? When I finally do my big upgrade I will be sure to exclude any pistol shrimp.

 

[robotman]

Hi all. I've been seriously considering adding either a scolymia or trachy to my sandbed and have the perfect spot for it, but in my infinite list o mistakes, I added a pistol shrimp to my tank which LOVES to turn everything over. That could be considered a good thing if I didn't want to put anything on the sand, but now I do. Anyone have any success with these somewhat fragile species (more so scoly's) with a pistol shrimp and hermits?

Thanks!

I have a 200$ scoly on the floor with a lobo brain also a clam and frogspawn, with two goby/pistol pairs never seen to bother them.

 

[auburnreefer110]

This morning all brains are covered and had to blow them all off again. Just missed stabbing him though. I will get him and take him out of the tank and leave him on the floor and watch it pant for air and let my cat play with him.

 

[Spyderturbo007]

This morning all brains are covered and had to blow them all off again. Just missed stabbing him though. I will get him and take him out of the tank and leave him on the floor and watch it pant for air and let my cat play with him.

Now that's mature. Especially on a forum where people come to learn so they can provide their animals with a good home.

Instead of killing the animals you neglected to research before buying, for doing what they instinctively do, why not catch them and give them away? I'm sure you could easily find someone that would give them a good home.

It isn't their fault you didn't bother to read up on their behavior.

 

[Hoopz87]

^ agreed

 

[Art13]

well, i don't have a watchman or a pistol, but i do have hermits and peppermints, the only thing you have to keep an eye on is them stealing food at feeding time. i have a brain, some shrooms, and multiple acans and a blasto in my sand and they are fine.

 

[Godofthewaves74]

I have a yellow watchman/tiger pistol shrimp combo in a 15G. Also have a Scoly and an Elegance. The key is to get the corals raised up about the sand a couple inches. I used a pipe coupling for the Elegance and a 3D stand for the Scoly. It's a bit of work to get it figured out but well worth it. That tank is 2 years old and they are all thriving.

PS: I added (raisers) for the corals when I noticed hoe far the pistol likes to landscape.

It does work! Not optimal for the corals but they are happy and growing.
Hope that helps!

SP