Who keeps goby/pistol pairs in their reef?

[MCCOOL]

How many of you keep a pistol shrimp/goby pair in your reef tank? If so, what species? Are they very destructive?

I'd like to add a shrimp/goby pair to my tank, but I'm a little worried about my other fish. I have a firefish pair and a plectranthias inermis that hide in the rocks at night, would they be in danger with the shrimp? I don't have many other inverts, aside from a couple of starfish, I also don't have any corals on the sand, so that's not a concern. I'm looking at a pink bar goby (Amblyeleotris aurora) and whatever shrimp species is best, tiger? Randalls?

Thanks for any help.

 

[jechew2]

I have a trio, 2 yellow watchmen with a tiger pistol in my 75g. They hang out together on one side of the tank exclusively. They're all very visible and lots of fun to watch. The pistol has never killed any of my other fish (many of which sleep in the rocks at night), but about three times I'm pretty sure it's "shot" my bristletooth tang around the face/mouth area. Each time it healed in 24 hours or less. It just looked like a relatively small white area which then healed completely.

I say go for it. It's reallyfun to watch them interact.

 

[MikeandNicole]

I have a magnificent and a candy pistol as well as a yasha and dracula sharing a tiger in my 12g. I have also kept a randals with a tiger in our 30g. The biggest problem (espcially with the tiger) in a reef is that they will steal frags on the sand bed and incorporate them into their burrom. They might also decide to burrom under the frag which is just as bad as they end of burying the edges. You will be amazed at how big of a frag they can move compared to their size. Overall, I love the combo and plan on keeping them for a long time.

 

[MCCOOL]

Thank you both for the insight. I don't have any corals on the sandbed, so that shouldn't be an issue.

Mike and/or Nicole, how big are your shrimp? The tiger gets bigger than the randals, correct? How about the candy?

 

[Ann Marie]

I love hearing the snap of my pistol shrimp when someone gets too close. I don't see him too often but I hear him on occassion.

 

[MikeandNicole]

The tiger does get pretty big and it a digging machine our is probably around 2 to 2.5 inches. The candy pistols are tiny around half an inch or smaller. They are pretty and much less prolific diggers, usually create their burrom and kind of hang out. It was funny though at first, the burrow it created was too small for the magnificent goby and like half his body was hanging out of the burrow.

 

[Clams55]

I actually just put my Goby/Pistol pair in my 90G today! I'll keep you informed.

 

[SiXLiNe]

I have a small candy pistols and orange spot goby in my 125 without any problems for a few months now. Over the past few weeks it seems like the pistol evicted the goby for its burrow for some strange reason.

 

[samdaman]

I got a High-fin Goby/Candy Striped Pistol Shrimp today. They paired up in the acclimation bucket. I have not seen them both since I put them in... Anyone know if they are shy. I think they went inside a rock.

 

[mchud]

I have a watchmen goby and a bulldozer in my tank. I have had the same pair for 4 years or so. They are a big hit with visitors to my house. They just stand there and watch them. The pistol moves incredible amounts of sand. And it is amazing how loud they can snap. I tried to get a picture tonight of the pistol getting mad at a snail, it kept hitting the snail with its claw.

 

[Waco Pilot]

We have a Randall's Goby and a Pistol in our 75g. They are an absolute hoot to watch. I am amazed at the strength of the little Pistol. He is constantly digging a new entrance to their hole, decorating it with snail shells twice his size and the occasional coral polyps. We have actually caught him rolling a frag plug across the tank to place at his entrance like a bush! They close the hole each night and reopen somewhere else in the morning. Currently, they live under a rock that is about 4" long by 2" wide. He has moved a rock with about 10 Palyzoas along side and that is currently the front entrance. He LOVES Mysis shrimp to eat. I generally squirt a few near the entrance and he rushes out to grab them. One night we watched him in a frenzy literally scurrying up the rock and jumping at the mysis, grabbing them in mid-air. Wildest thing I have ever seen. Another night after a feeding, the Nassarius snails were all out and one kept sliding down to the mouth of their cave. The Pistol kept coming out and pushing the snail away up the hill and just when you thought the snail had a good foot hold, he would tumble back down to the entrance. This went one about half a dozen times until I moved the snail away. They bother no one in the tank. Buy a pair and you will love them.

 

[Higgy2010]

I highly recommend having these symbiotic pairs. I have one tiger pistol shrimp and YWM goby pair in my 24G cube. The shrimp is a hardworking machine, moving sand, frags, shells around, buiding a new entrance one day and shutting it down the next. The YWM is its trusted buddy, looking out for any danger.
I like it so much I bought a candy stripe shrimp and randall's goby pair for my 40G. Unfortunately, I haven't seen the shrimp for weeks. It is a lot smaller than the pistol. So if it's gone missing, I might buy a replacement pistol to pair up with the randall's.

 

[kevin21]

Higgy2010, i have a 28g cube and was wondering if it bothers any of your other inhabitants if you have any?
thanks!

 

[Higgy2010]

Kevin, they stay in the substrate and only come out when I feed them. Even then, the YWM ventures about 1 or 2 inches up. In the cube, I also have a pair of mated gold-stripe maroons that don't leave its home, a giant carpet anemone. So the two pairs are on separate strata and get along well. Your 28G will provide even more hiding space for them.

 

[DallasSVT]

I have a mated pair of Yellow Watchman and a Bulls-eye Pistol. The shrimp comes out around feeding and is always making the popping noise!


Dallas

 

[kevin21]

Thanks! Think im going to go with either a yellow watchman or purple spotted watchman with the candy pistol

 

[EllieSuz]

I know somebody who got a pair and they set up housekeeping in the back of the tank where you can't see them. Bummer.

 

[DallasSVT]

I know somebody who got a pair and they set up housekeeping in the back of the tank where you can't see them. Bummer.

Yea, i have them in my small 30G Nano, but was thinking about moving them over to the 90.

Usually when the Goby is sitting outside of the "hole" the shrimp is moving around looking for food! They also started coming out more when the two gobys paired up.

Very Cool!


Dallas

 

[Sk8r]

I recommend against them. I enjoyed mine for a while, but the tiger grew, finally killed the Yellow Watchman; had killed two firefish who happened into the burrow (they sleep in holes) and had become such a pita I took my reef apart to get him out and back to the lfs.

 

[samdaman]

I recommend against them. I enjoyed mine for a while, but the tiger grew, finally killed the Yellow Watchman; had killed two firefish who happened into the burrow (they sleep in holes) and had become such a pita I took my reef apart to get him out and back to the lfs.

I heard candy striped stay smaller.