Pistol Shrimps - Tiger & Randalli

[Marsh980]

Hi all,

I hope this thread will be helpful not just for me but others who have similar questions.

I have two watchman gobies (a small sulphur and a large watchman of some kind) that currently share a cave. For some context, i have a 200 gallon 7ft tank with a sandbed and lots of live rock (caves, tunnels, crevices, hiding places).

I would like to get a couple of pistol shrimps and just want to get an idea if its worth it or not as I've read differing accounts on them. So here are my questions:

1) Will they pair up with a larger Goby or are they more suited for the smaller dwarf gobies?
2) Are they destructive to the sand bed or my CUC (cleaner and peppermint shrimps, nassarius, astrea and turbo snails, sand sifting star fish and dwarf hermit crabs?
3) Can i have a tiger and Randalli or two of each species in my reef?
4) Will they move sand everywhere because i have corals on my sand bed?
5) Are they aggressive to fish, especially more timid fish like firefish?
6) Will they kill my other shrimp (cleaner and peppermint)?
7) If i was to get a blood/fire shrimp in the future, will that cause issues?

Lastly, any other information that you think would be prudent before someone buys one?

As you all know in this hobby, its better to research, research, research and ask people for their experiences before making rash decisions.

I've also been told to wait and buy a Yellow Bullseye Snapping Shrimp..... Is that sound advice or risky/stupid.

Thank you in advance.

 

[Difrano]

I have a YWG and a tiger shrimp paired for 5 years, the tiger died of old age and replaced with a new tiny one, those are my experience:

1. They pair super fast with any shrimp goby, after my huge tiger died I bought a tiny one, I was concern my goby would not pair with him, but in less than 1 hour they were happy.
2. Tigers like to move sand, lots, it doesn't create dust clouds but they are plowing machines. Have never seen it bothering CUC or other shrimps, if they get too close to the caves the YWG will relocate them or chase them.
3. 200 gal should be fine, they tend to stay close where you introduce them, so you can add one on each side of the tank.
4. They move sand close to the rocks, doesn't mean that they can move sand anywhere, mine liked to dig channel close to.the glass.
5. Never seen it chasing fish, I had a spawning pair of firefish that at some point were sleeping on the same cave system as the goby/shrimp.
6. Didn't had any issues with other shrimps, when they hang around the caves entrances the pistol gives them a slave snap and they learn fast not to be there.
7. Never had one cannot answer.

I love the goby/pistol relationship, is fantastic how nature create those symbiotic relationships. I will always have them in my tanks. Be ready to have them disappear for weeks, when the shrimp molts he seal the cave with the goby inside, also I think they do it on purpose to give you a hearth attack.

 

[Difrano]

One thing I forgot, they will try to use anything that is on the sand bed for their engineering projects, rocks, shells, frags coral etc. The big one loved to use the frag plugs as doors for the caves.

 

[Lasse]

Will answer the questions I have experiences of

1) Will they pair up with a larger Goby or are they more suited for the smaller dwarf gobies?

Randali gets rather large - it will work

2) Are they destructive to the sand bed or my CUC (cleaner and peppermint shrimps, nassarius, astrea and turbo snails, sand sifting star fish and dwarf hermit crabs?

They will plan your sandbed as they want - and they are never satisfied with how it looks like Never seen them attacking anything

3) Can i have a tiger and Randalli or two of each species in my reef?

Probably yes

4) Will they move sand everywhere because i have corals on my sand bed?

Yes - they move where they like to move

5) Are they aggressive to fish, especially more timid fish like firefish?

Not seen that

6) Will they kill my other shrimp (cleaner and peppermint)?

Probably not

7) If i was to get a blood/fire shrimp in the future, will that cause issues?

I have a randalli and a peppermint (for 4 years nearly)

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Marsh980]

So I bought a tiger pistol shrimp and it has paired up with both my watchman gobies. They all live in the same cave.

Is that normal?

Probably means I can’t get another as don’t have anymore gobies left to pair up with haha.

 

[ReefGrammie]

Great questions and responses! My favorite pair, by far. If you've ever seen the Animal Planet episode on symbiotic relationships, it features the goby-pistol shrimp. I've always (well, most of the time) had the pair. My first was a tiger pistol/watchman goby in my 46-gallon reef tank. I had the pair for several years. The goby outlived the shrimp and I thought I did a dumb thing and bought two more shrimp, but then I had both shrimp and the goby all living in the same burrow. Had the 3 of them for several more years. After I realized both shrimp had probably passed on, I added a red snapping shrimp. It's huge. I call it the lobster. I had no idea if they would pair up or not, but here they are!

I have also kept ornamental shrimp/peppermint shrimp with no issues. I have a ruby dragonet and a very small clown goby and have never had issues with the shrimp going after a fish now or in years past. The only thing the shrimp seems to hate is my red serpent star, who also likes to go in the burrows. I've heard the popping and seen the star quickly scurrying out of a burrow! Same with a hermit crab or two. ;Joyful

 

[HighChiefKC]

So I bought a tiger pistol shrimp and it has paired up with both my watchman gobies. They all live in the same cave.

Is that normal?

Probably means I can’t get another as don’t have anymore gobies left to pair up with haha.

in response to you can’t get another one because you don’t have another goby to pair it with....I bought a highfin and pistol. After the first day I didn’t see either one of them for 4 months! Then one day they both came out to eat. 6 months goes by without me ever seeing them again. This is in a 28g cube. Today I tore the tank down to move the 2 clowns and royal gamma to a 220g. I found the pistol after I took all of the rock out and had the water drained down to about 3”. The high fin was never found and I wonder how long he’s been dead? I dropped him into new tank and he backed into a natural cave under a rock in the sand like he didn’t miss a beat.
I don’t know anything about Pistols, but maybe they don’t have to be paired up?

 

[Difrano]

So I bought a tiger pistol shrimp and it has paired up with both my watchman gobies. They all live in the same cave.

Is that normal?

Probably means I can’t get another as don’t have anymore gobies left to pair up with haha.

.

Yes is normal and healthy, your YWG will start spawning in not time! cheers grandfather.

I don’t know anything about Pistols, but maybe they don’t have to be paired up?

Gobies and shrimp can live in our aquariums without a buddy, because they don't have predators, but for the shrimp is less stressful to have a pair of eyes and he is also much more active with a goby. Same for the goby specially with YWG that they don't make burros and depends 100% on the skills of the shrimp

 

[Marsh980]

So this is how my pistol left the cave haha

 

[TrishK]

We’ve had our WG for about a year. Bought a pistol shrimp and the one sent to us was a baby I swear. It went under the rocks and never saw it again. Got a Tiger shrimp last week and they paired up within minutes. Tunnels under the rocks everywhere. WG guards the hole and I squirt food ain’t it because the goby never gets his share. Caught this cute video of the Shrimp heaving around a seashell like he was Krusty Crab lol.... Lawn Mower Blennies have fun personalities too/ ours lives in a large conch shell and he spits snails off if they get anywhere near his home LOL