Yellow Watchman Gobies and Pistol Shrimp

[Cookoopod]

A few books I've read have recommended that Yellow Watchman Gobies should be kept symbiotically with Pistol Shrimp (The Natural Reef Aquarium, Baensch Marine Atlas', and TRA). Does anybody have any opinions on this or actually have this bond? Would it be difficult to pair the shrimp up with these gobies.

Also, my gobies aren't sharing the same hole/den. Does this mean that they are both the same sex. Definitely means they aren't a pair, right? Do they change sexes like the clownfish do?

 

[Cookoopod]

Two types are available to me:
Tiger Pistols I/O and Candy Stripe Pistols. Which one should I get for my Yellow watchman's. Any replies appreciated. TIA

 

[ATJ]

Cook,

I've had a yellow watchman for over a year on its own. It's doing fine. The fish is a little quirky but I don't think companion shrimps would make much difference.


------------------
ATJ
http://atj777.tripod.com/

 

[Cookoopod]

ATJ,
How do you find yours being quirky? I read that it is hard to get them to eat prepared foods if they don't have a shrimp. My gobies eat all the frozens I've offered. Maybe I'm just lucky. They are a very cool looking fish with tons of personality. I love how they burrow themselves in and pop out to curb there curiosity. Really pretty too. The blue spots on the dashing yellow really looks nice. And the boggly looking eyes mounted on an apelike face sure can get you attached to them. They sure are fun to watch.

 

[psychocoralchopper]

i've had my yellow watchman for over 6 months now. have not been able to find a pistol shrimp for him though (the downside of living in canada). my goby lives in a conche that my girlfriend brought back from hawaii. it usually has it's head peeking out and darts back in to the conche VERY quickly if he notices any disturbances. fortunately, i've never had trouble feeding him: he likes spirulina pellets.
they are so cute

------------------
have a nice day
psychocoralchopper

come and visit my reefs:
Reeftopia

 

[ATJ]

Evan,

My goby eats anything I give him, but won't come out very far to get it. I have to fire it at him with a tube. Even though he's been with his tank companions for over 12 months, he still gets freaked by them when they also come in to feed. Or he just freaks himself. Even though I feed him in the same place every morning and every night he forgets from day to day and waits somewhere else.

He lives amongst rocks and has no burrow - the tank has a shell grit substrate which might make it difficult for him to dig.


------------------
ATJ
http://atj777.tripod.com/

 

[BrianD]

Cookoopod,

Contact Inland Aquatics at 812-232-9000, or go to their website (I think it is inlandaquatics.com )

During past visits there I have seen "matched up" engineer gobies and shrimp for sale. Perhaps they can provide with what you are looking for or give you some information.

Brian

 

[npaden]

I have a pistol shrimp but no watchman goby. The shrimp seems to be doing fine. It has grown quite a bit since the first time I saw it (it was a free hitchhiker). It lost it's claw a few weeks ago, and I didn't hear it for a while and thought it had died, but I saw it one night without it's claw. It has since completely regrown it's claw and I heard it popping just last night. (From my bedroom upstairs about 30 feet away) I wonder whether adding a watchman would work or whether the pistol would accept it or not. The pistol is pretty territorial and goes to popping anytime something comes near it's home. Oh well, FWIW, Nathan

------------------
Visit my homepage at padens.homepage.com

 

[Salt Creep]

Hi Cookoopod,
I have a pair of yellow watchmen that teamed with a tiger pistol. The pistol shrimp went AWOL, so I'm waiting for the store to get another one.

Ken

------------------
See my reef tank at http://kenspage.jumphobbies.com/reef2.htm

 

[Cookoopod]

Thanks for the replies.

Ken, that's an awesome pick. I found out earlier that the Tiger Pistols bond well with the YWG's. You just confirmed my decision to get the Tiger. I was going to get the Candy Striped too but found out they don't usually bond with the YWG's. Awesome pic!!! Where is the mate to the goby in that picture?

 

[Salt Creep]

Cookoopod,
I still have the pair, just wasn't able to catch both fish with the shrimp in the photo. One of them (the slightly smaller one) disappeared for a while and I thought it had died, but then it reappeard. I'm wondering if they spawned and one was guarding the eggs... I seem to remember reading they do that but I'm not sure.
Ken

------------------
See my reef tank at http://kenspage.jumphobbies.com/reef2.htm

 

[simon]

ive had a yellow watchman goby since i set up my reef 4 years ago. never had aprob with him eating or anything. he did disappear for a while when i moved the tank. i gues he got quirked from the move . in reality, he does get moody when i stick my claws in the tank to move a coral or something but usually in a few mins, if the tank doesnt look totally different than it did before hes hanging around looking for some fresh seafood floating by. all in all a very cool fish. i never thought of getting him a pistol as they can do a job on the sandbed. i dont think pistols should be in a tank with a healthy sand bed, but thats just my opinion of course
simon

 

[Cookoopod]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by simon:
i dont think pistols should be in a tank with a healthy sand bed, but thats just my opinion of course
simon<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Simon, why do you think Pistols shouldn't be kept with live sand beds. Where did you read or hear that they will dessimate a LS bed. I'm just curious.

Ev