need goby matchmaking advice

zoechance · Jan 23, 2014

Hi All WOuld appreciate any help on thisâ€¦
Had a pink bar goby and pistol shrimp pair. The PBG jumped to his death when the housitter (whom I paid lots of $$ to tend to the tank) left the lid offâ€¦ SO I felt bad for the shrimp who always keeps his/her burrows plowed out. I bought a yellow watchman goby, a young healthy specimen that had been quarantined by me LFS. OK that was about 3 months ago and he/she lives under 1 rock and the shrimp lives under the neighboring rock and thats life in the tankâ€¦. It is a 88 gallon tank and I have 2 live rock bridges with 3 supporting rock structures.
Any advice on getting them together? Lost Cause?
thanks!!

Reefing Madness · Jan 24, 2014

zoechance · Jan 25, 2014

Thanks for the bump Reefing Madness… guess this is a tough one to figure….

mpfeiffer1 · Jan 27, 2014

Get another Yellow Watchman and see if it hooks-up with one or the other. My favorite is a the Yashi (Yasha White Ray Shrimp Goby)... IT would definately hook up with the shrimp... Good LUck... Status quo will stay staus quo unless you mix it up... Just my humble opinion...

zoechance · Jan 28, 2014

Thanks for the advise. I believe you are correct. It is sad that the shrimp is alone. I just hope the gobies won't fight with each other… Think if I get another type of goby like a Yashi or a pink bar(instead of another yellow watchman) there will be less of a combat issue?

mpfeiffer1 · Jan 28, 2014

As you know- every fish has their own personality. Gobies have much more than most. My best guess is 50/50 in the fighting but depends on size of tank. Most lfs will take back a fish that is fighting for credit toward something else. Especially if you explain the situation. They get it. I know- not much help. Sorry.

zoechance · Jan 28, 2014

Thanks!!!! These are tough/interesting issues and I applaud anyone even tacking a crack at answering.

HiddenUser · Jan 28, 2014

Pull the shrimp and goby out and re-acclimate them together? Seems like a lot of effort though and will only stress out the goby and shrimp.

Or just wait it out and see if they ever find each other?

I had a Yellow Watchmen and Pistol Shrimp pair, the shrimp went MIA for a month, so I considered him dead. Bought another Pistol Shrimp, acclimated him and he found my goby within 15 minutes. They've been pals ever since!

TarHeelReefer22 · Jan 28, 2014

Maybe try and feed the tank in a neutral meeting area for the shrimp and goby see if they meet up there.

zoechance · Jan 28, 2014

TarHeelReefer22 said:
Maybe try and feed the tank in a neutral meeting area for the shrimp and goby see if they meet up there.

Wish I could but they both live under a rock and hardly ever come out… they are both extremely shy. I see the shrimp maybe once a week and otherwise know she is well as she keeps her tunnels burrowed out…so cute… the goby I can only see by shining a flashlight in the rock he lives under. I don't even know how he eats or stays alive… so I put pellets in his burrow….
taking down the rock work would be reserved only for a dire emergency as it is all stuck together in formation of 2 bridges...

EricTMah · Jan 28, 2014

ChukeeR said:
Pull the shrimp and goby out and re-acclimate them together? Seems like a lot of effort though and will only stress out the goby and shrimp.

This might be your best bet.
I have a yellow watchman with pistol and when I introduced them I did it in a clear container with holes on the sides and top. Then after the container was sunken with the pair in it. I inverted it, waited about 15mins. Then I pulled the lid out from under the container and the shrimp almost instantly started digging. once he dug under the container and over to the neighboring rock, the goby followed. They have been paired up since. I've had them for over a year now and neither of them are shy. I see them all the time now.

Good luck

Mike in CT · Jan 28, 2014

Paul B. once wrote that some fish he brings home, he acclimates and then throws them on the floor because they are just going to jump out anyway.... That how gobies have been for me this year. One jumped after I left the hood open for a 15 mins while I ran downstairs. His replacement jumped out a. 1/4 inch space in the back. So I had these fish like 4 months in quarantine total, and around 3 weeks in my display before they jumped.

zoechance · Jan 28, 2014

Mike in CT said:
Paul B. once wrote that some fish he brings home, he acclimates and then throws them on the floor because they are just going to jump out anyway.... That how gobies have been for me this year. One jumped after I left the hood open for a 15 mins while I ran downstairs. His replacement jumped out a. 1/4 inch space in the back. So I had these fish like 4 months in quarantine total, and around 3 weeks in my display before they jumped.

Yikes!! that sad to lose that many fish to jumping…. I was so upset when the PBG did a kamikaze… he was so big and healthy and loved to be with the shrimp…. They were constantly out in the open and now I am left with this sad situation. I am seriously considering getting another goby of another variety….

mpfeiffer1 · Jan 29, 2014

I just hung a sign on the inside of my tank that says "Carpet Surfing Prohibited"... Have not had one jump yet... Or maybe it is the canopy but I will never know for sure... LOL... Good Luck with the Goby... All that Snapping for nothing- no way... Lastly, I was thinking that maybe you have an aggressive fish that is keeping your goby in his/her hole. Keep an eye out. Lasty, I would stop feeding it in its hole as it does not need to come-out to look for food. Maybe, you have trained your Goby to stay inside... lol All joking aside, my Yashi decided to go away from my pistol schrimp for a week and I know that feeling of disappointment. Luckly mine got back together... Hope yours do too... Best of luck... MP

zoechance · Jan 29, 2014

mpfeiffer1 said:
I just hung a sign on the inside of my tank that says "Carpet Surfing Prohibited"... Have not had one jump yet... Or maybe it is the canopy but I will never know for sure... LOL... Good Luck with the Goby... All that Snapping for nothing- no way... Lastly, I was thinking that maybe you have an aggressive fish that is keeping your goby in his/her hole. Keep an eye out. Lasty, I would stop feeding it in its hole as it does not need to come-out to look for food. Maybe, you have trained your Goby to stay inside... lol All joking aside, my Yashi decided to go away from my pistol schrimp for a week and I know that feeling of disappointment. Luckly mine got back together... Hope yours do too... Best of luck... MP

Hi
thank you so much for your advice. I too will hang an neon sign so this fish get the message…. I will refrain from feeding the Goby and see what happens. I do think there is an element of intimidation from my other fish likely. I have never seen them fight or pick at each other but the cardinals like to "hover" around near the gobies cave….. I really try hard for a peaceful community. Hey if we can't have world peace might as well strive for it in my tank….. Barbara