Theory about shrimp gobies

[juniorrocketdad]

So for a while I have had a white cap goby paired with a pistol shrimp and due to their skittishness and how small they are they require very careful target feeding.

Although I can usually get food In their cave when it's open, i rarely actually see him eat and he looks healthy so I have wondered where they get there nutrition from

This is where I get my theory, while I was watching the tank a piece of food got stirred up that was about half the size of the shrimp and it landed near their cave. To my surprise the shrimp darted out and than dashed back into the cave with his prize. The goby didn't even turn around for a second to get a bite to eat. My theory is that the shrimp grabs food whenever it can a hoarded it in the cave to feed the two of them for days. Some days they don't come back at all so I believe they have food in the cave so why take a risk of exposing your self when your well fed?

Is this a crazy theory or do any of you agree

 

[ThRoewer]

It's much more likely that they live of pods and worms they find while digging the burrow or which seek shelter in the burrow. Sand and gravel is full of life.

 

[Xxero]

Do most Goby/Shrimp pairs stay pretty much hidden all of the time? I have a pair (very new to a tank) and so far they're just staying in their burrow.

 

[madweazl]

Depends on the goby and shrimp. I find Randall's gobies and tiger pistols to be the most bold.

 

[ThRoewer]

It also depends on the tank setup and the tank mates.

 

[Xxero]

Mine are a Pinkbar Goby & Red Banded Pistol Shrimp, and they're the only inhabitants.

And sorry, juniorrocketdad - I'm not trying to side-track your thread. Just trying to learn all that I can about the Goby/Shrimp relationship.

 

[juniorrocketdad]

Mine are a Pinkbar Goby & Red Banded Pistol Shrimp, and they're the only inhabitants.



And sorry, juniorrocketdad - I'm not trying to side-track your thread. Just trying to learn all that I can about the Goby/Shrimp relationship.

It's all good, from what I understand is that most are pretty good but some like the white caps are known to be very skittis, this fish at max size only gets 1.5"

 

[ThRoewer]

Singles will also be more reclusive than pairs.

 

[supscribe]

I've had terrible luck with the shrimp goby pair they never come out and die

 

[qwaz01]

Mine hid for the first few weeks but I now see them several times a day. The goby tends to sit outside several holes while the shrimp pops in and out.

 

[qwaz01]

Also, I have seen several times the goby do a poo and the shrimp take into his hole to eat

 

[ThRoewer]

Could be...

It would be the opposite of Jawfish behavior then - they like to get their sh.. out of and far from their burrow - it's always hilarious to watch how they take it out and blow it as far a way as possible.

 

[d-man]

In my tank I have 1 shrimp that whores' itself around. It will go the Randall's cave, the pink bar's cave and the pink spots cave as well. I also have a blue spot watchman as well, but he's pretty new to the tank, and also quite large(4"), he just started coming out and being seen after 2 weeks of reclusiveness

 

[Greybeard]

Unless there's something banging around near the tank (like my grandson, for instance...) I can pretty much always see my yellow prawn goby and tiger pistol. The YPG hangs out near the entrance, the tiger pistol comes out every couple of minutes with another load of sand.

Bump into the stand, and you won't see either of them for an hour.

 

[Xxero]

What a beautiful photo! :bigeyes:

 

[Xxero]

Bump into the stand, and you won't see either of them for an hour.

This...

I have seen my Pinkbar several times from a distance today. But every time that I walk into my office, it slips back into its burrow. I find it encouraging though because I didn't see it coming out at all yesterday.

 

[sturner91]

Mine hid for the first few weeks but I now see them several times a day. The goby tends to sit outside several holes while the shrimp pops in and out.

That is a gorgeous picture!

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[qwaz01]

What a beautiful photo! :bigeyes:

Thanks, it's amazing what an iPhone camera can do

 

[juniorrocketdad]

It is natural for them to be skittish so I assume it may take a very long time for many of them to become brave

 

[neiltus]

I have a pistol shrimp from some TBS rock and he is pretty darn bold. I see him out and about, never far from his holes around one rock, sometimes he will pop out of the top of the rock for a bit.

Going to attempt to introduce a yellow prawn goby to pair. Don't know how that will go over...my luck after 8 weeks in the QT the yellow goby will go to him and the pistol will eat him. Going to try to overfeed the pistol prior to introduction.