Goby/Shrimp pairing

[j.schroeder]

I have always loved the interaction of some goby species when they share a home with a shrimp. I have searched around for some info on this behavior but have not found much. I would like to get a pair for my tank but I'm not sure where to start. My tank is fish free right now but I do plan on putting my mandarine back in there. I would also like to maybe get a pair of clowns and one or two other small fish in the future. It's a 40 breeder. My questions are:

1. Which species of goby should I look into?
2. Which types of shrimps will live with gobies?
3. Do I need to try to find a pair that already live together, or can I get them seperately?
4. Will any gobies that might work harass my mandarine?
5. How deep of a sand bed do I need.

Any info you guys can give me would be great....

Thanks,
Justin

 

[reefboy23]

I know the pistol shrimp is symbiotic with most burrowing gobies. If you can find a pair go for it but if not no biggie...most gobies are peaceful towards other fish so i dont think ur mandarin would be bothered. I would say a sandbed of four to six inches would be enough.

 

[Snowboarda42]

I think the most easily paired is Tiger Pistol and Yellow Watchman Goby

 

[edwing206]

Or a tiger and a yasha goby. Those are really cool.

 

[Jim Hart]

yellow watchman and tiger pistol ...... like mine, you only need an inch of sand w/ some rubble. the shrimp will make due and burrow under the lr uing the rubble to fill holes and create a cavern for them both to live in.

lokk at this, a cute skit that explains it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehoSL5Kb9YQ

 

[Jim Hart]

http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=11423866
watch mine....

 

[j.schroeder]

Thanks for all the info guys. Sounds like I can just put them together and they will know what to do? I was a little hesitant to do that because so many of the things I've tried in the past that should work have not, and I didn't want to make the mistake of throwing them in together before I did some research.

I've always thought that pistol shrimp were not reef safe and that they would potentially kill desireables like hermits and other shrimp. Is this true or are they reef safe? Also, I've been thinking about getting a jawfish at some point, would these two fish tolerate eachother or are they too close in habit for a 40gal tank.

Thanks again,
Justin

 

[morgan]

that youtube vidoe was funny although the gobi's acting wasnt as good as the shrimps

jim hart that a good video i see the differnce now between a normal pistol and a tiger
but are you guys say that if i buy a watchman gobi (not the kind that sit in coral) and it will find the pistol shrimp in my rocks and then the pair of them will go and make a home??
or is the type of pistol shrimp important

 

[Jim Hart]

yellow watchman goby will find any pistol shrimp, will he eat it is my question, not sure all i know is the tiger pistol is good sized and the goby cant eat it.

 

[Damsel13]

Ha, I am pretty sure my yellow watchman goby adopted a very small green mantis. They had "issues" at first. Lots of clicking and moving around however even though I don't see the mantis he is quiet and the goby has set up house for sure. I would love to catch the two together. No more clicking and a very happy but rather shy goby is what I have now.

 

[deshoyt]

Does the Pistol Shrimp "protect" the Yellow Watchman goby? We recently added a YWG in our tank and it has been severely picked on by my Clown fish (Nemo). If I add a Tiger Pistol, will it help at all? My clown has actually nipped ay my goby so much that he won't eat and he hides all the time and he looks as if his tail fin has been bitten off. Nemo has never done this before so we are kind of bummed about the possibility of losing the goby. We were going to remove the goby today, but I was just reading about the pistol shrimp pairing and thought I would ask. Would a cleaner shrimp get along with the Pistol Shrimp or would that cause another problem.

 

[Snowboarda42]

No it won't. They only use hiding as a defense mechanism.

Unfortunately, in your situation, either the Goby's gotta go or the Clown fish has to.

 

[deshoyt]

That's what I sadly figured. Thanks!

 

[Jim Hart]

I am assuming the clown is a female and she is teritorial, my ywg hides most of the time, usually sticking his head out a hole just far enough to dart back in when trouble arises. I did notice he trys to make the shrimp think he is important by falsly darting in and out in a panic when there is no real threat. He spends more time hiding now then he did before the shrimp was introduced.

 

[deshoyt]

Thanks for all of your help. I sadly took the Yellow Watchman goby back and exchanged him for a Bangai Cardinal Fish. He is beautiful and doing great. My clownfish hasn't messed with it and I don't see any problems. Thanks again, Desiree

 

[Snowboarda42]

Glad to see you took the responsible route and took him back