Shrimp expert please...Pistol needs help!!!

[Tangalong]

Sure hope someone with a lot of knowledge of shrimp can help us. Recently Fosters & Smith did lots of pairings with Gobies and their shrimp counterparts in the symbiotic relationships. I got a Tangaroa with his Red Banded Pistol first. I could tell they were paired as the Pistol crawled all over the Goby in the acclimation bucket. After I put them in the tank, I never saw the Pistol again. He was so small (under 1/2 ") that he was probably eaten by bristles very quickly as I couldn't even find a bone. Meantime, I had lost 3 peppermint shrimp from same source (was ill and relatives acclimated and they all died). To make matters quick, Diver's Den said they would replace loss with my choice so I chose the Yashi and Pistol (listed as Snapping Shrimp Eastern Asia). He is really big (2") ,orange, and every evening cruises looking for his "Goby" with a piece of shrimp or squid in his claws. I never really believed they were almost blind, but sure do now. He looks and looks. The Yashi is alive under a rock and refuses to acknowledge the Pistol....I think he is afraid of him, which make me believe he was not paired as promised. In the acclimation bucket he acted terrified of the shrimp. The Tangaroa keeps out of his way even though I think the shrimp would pair with him too.

What should I do? I love this shrimp and want him to be happy, but seems neither Goby will pair with him. I have a big Blue-spot watchman in another tank. Should I put him in there? Should I call F&S and ask why the "so called pairing" isn't working?

Hope someone can help...

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Curly

 

[philter4]

I'm not an expert, but I do know that the shrimp and gobies do not need to be paired to survive, so even though you may not have the interaction you want from them, none of them will die because of the fact that they are not paired.

 

[Tangalong]

Of course philter 4 , I know that...but I don't want to miss out on all the interesting things that go on with the pairing. And I don't think it's fair to the Shrimp when he so obviously wants a buddy. I think he will just go in with the big Goby who isn't afraid of anything and will always take food. At least they won't be lonely since the Goby's Pistol died too. But I thank you for your concern and agree with you.


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Curly

 

[spw4949]

How long have they been in your tank?

 

[Tangalong]

About 2 weeks. I saw the Yashi out this evening and the Tangaroa is out a lot. The Pistol is out now looking for his Goby. I called F&S today and they said these two were not paired, so if they do or not will be just chance. I think he will enjoy the 35 gal Hex with the Blue-spot watchman as he is a busier Goby and swims in the column to get goodies. I got a 20Long today and am going to set it up for the Tangarora and Yashi and get a couple of red banded Pistols (if I can get some over 1/2 inch long). I just have to wait for the tank to stablilize and all that good stuff but if some show up I can put them in the 20 H for now and maybe they will pair. Will two pistols get along? I've only had the one prior so don't know a lot of info on them.

 

[dudley moray]

i would wait i put a tiny pistol in my tank and thought my damsel ate it right away well 2 months later i bought a goby and then i saw the little guy alive and well almost three months later ! as for the big one a big goby will be less reluctant to pair with a big pistol and i mean big 5-6 inch goby for a 3 inch pistol

 

[Tangalong]

I found my big Watchman Goby dead this AM in my 35 Hex. He appeared to be breathing heavily last night. I cannot imagine what could have killed him . Ph and everything matches in all my tanks. I had put some new sand in but that was over a week ago. Now the poor Pistol doesn't have anyone. The Goby was one of my first in this new SW system I have now. He will be missed.

 

[geffhardy2]

I have 3 tiger pistal shrimp in a 55gal 2 are paired with gobies..
one is a blue watchmen and Yashi high fin goby. the reason i have 3 pistal in the same tank is because i keep thinking they were dead after they went missing and some how they would appear again lol. i never had a problem because with in 1 min of my introducing the pistals the gobies were waiting . once they team up the gobies had new reason to live. A goby without his shrimp is less of a goby meaning once they team up your goby will go from just chilling out everyday to defending his shrimp at any cost. never leaving the shrimp for more then a few secs. what i do is make a nice cave somewhere you can view in the front of the tank if possible . this way u can watch what goes on . you dont want your pair making their stay home somewhere in the back of the tank u cant see. i just chase the pistal shrimp in the premade cave and chase the goby in the same hole soon after. Pistal shrimp have very poor eyesight so if u put them near a hole they will most likely take it. I have had situation where my blue watchmen stole yes stole my smaller high fin gobies pistal shrimp. pistal can live together becasue they only really leave their hole to move sand out so they dont have time to fight with other pistal. i have had 3 pistals in the same tank for over 7 months and im pretty sure they have never even seen each other.

 

[NyReefNoob]

they can live without a goby, it could take days or weeks for it to pair up, i have a pair of yellow watchman gobies with a pistol and a pair of Fan shrimp-goby that dont live together, but pistol will live with one for a few days then he is in the others cave. listen for it at night time.

 

[Tangalong]

What wonderful stories ...thanks guys...you have made me feel much better...the poor shrimp is hanging under a rock and hasn't come out in 3 days. What kind of Gobie should I get him? I love the red-banded high fin...had 2 from F&S & didn't acclimate well..I won't even try the Tangaroa & Yasha again...they are waiting for the 20L to be ready and I want 2 red=band if I can find 2 that are more than 1/2 inch long.

I don't want another big one like the blue=spot...the 35 Hex doesn't have a big footprint...although he did swim a lot in the colum...I think he wore himself out after being in that stupid 10 for 2 months. I feel bad about that. He just got so aggressive to the other fish. I think he just missed his shrimp. It was a Tiger Pistol...What do you think the Asian Pistol would like? He has white pinchers...so cool to watch him looking for his Gobie with food in hand...although he hasn't in several days.

Thanks for suggestions....

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Curly

 

[Tangalong]

Forgot to ask...what do your pistols like to eat best? It seems Mysis are too small for them to grab. I have Frozen Krill, squid, silverside, Marine entree, mysis, freeze dried mysis, pellet, table shrimp frozen...just about anything they could want. Can they chew the squid? They can grab it well. That's what the Pistol walks around with, although the Goby didn't seem to be able to chew it.The one Tiger Pistol I had that died used to line-up several pellets in a row outside the burrow for the blue-spot to eat...so neat. I love these guys. So much more fun than just fish..lol

 

[Tangalong]

Bad news gang....guess the Pistol shrimp got stuck under the rock last night during a molt and is dead. molt is 1/2 on 1/2 off. What a bummer. Thanks for all your help though. Time to shop at my LFS that don't guarantee anything..but their prices are 1/2 what others are.I might just put the new pvc piece in and try to grow a coral or two and wait for a Mantis to come my way. That Hex is in a corner and the devil to work on...especially since I am only 5 ft tall and can hardly reach to the bottom to arrange rocks and stuff.

How depressing.