The big dig, finally caught on tape.
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=2039063088
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=2039063088
Watchman & Pistol
- Thread starter Jim Hart
- Start date
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Damsel13
Well-known member
Wowowowowowow I really enjoyed that. Thanks for capturing that and sharing it. I am Trying to decide if I want a shrimp and gobie similar to yours or if I want a red hawkfish. It will be my last fish.Does anyone have any opinions? I have a shallow sand bed and no "fancy stuff" so my problem is a lot of detris and my hands in the tank all the time or nitrates consistantly at around 40ppm. I have softies but two monti cap. frags that are growing about 8" from 192 PC's (they are orange).
If I put back some of my arag. sand in to a total of 1-2" won't that exacerbate my detris/nitrate problem? I have a Cpr bakpac with a wood airstone mod. Thinking of putting another in as well.
Ok, talked enough. Hope some of this makes sense.
What fish do you think would work better? And be happier? Right now I have 4 chromis (small), 1 coral beauty, male&female A. ocellaris and a yellow tang.
I use biological filtration mostly with carbon 24/7 (cause of the green star polyps) about 50 lb. live "really live" rock.
yack, yack
sorry about being so long winded. Just want any fish that are part of my family to thrive!
Damsel13
Well-known member
Wowoowow again! I can't believe that pistol got that huge piece of coralline in that burrow. Wish I could see what it looks like inside (hehe). Great recording. Thanks for sharing.
NaH2O
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2004
- Messages
- 8,568
Jim - Great videos! I love these guys, and recently added one to my daughter's tank. Now, I need to get a goby and wait/hope for them to become symbionts. In the second video, I loved when the shrimp picked up the big piece of rock, turned it just right, then found the perfect spot for it. The pistol shrimp's constant building activity reminds me of the Dozers from Fraggle Rock (I'm probably dating myself here lolol). Thanks for posting!
Deb - you might want to think about getting rid of the yellow tang. IMO, Your tank is small for a tang, especially combined with the coral beauty. Your nitrate problem could be coming from fish load. I would try and get the nitrates under control before introducing any more livestock. As far as the goby goes, I don't think a shallow sandbed is an issue, however, for the shrimp it may be. They prefer to live in a deep sand bed with small rubble to reinforce their burrows.
from: "Your May Call Me 'Yasha,' King of the Stonogobiops"
Deb - you might want to think about getting rid of the yellow tang. IMO, Your tank is small for a tang, especially combined with the coral beauty. Your nitrate problem could be coming from fish load. I would try and get the nitrates under control before introducing any more livestock. As far as the goby goes, I don't think a shallow sandbed is an issue, however, for the shrimp it may be. They prefer to live in a deep sand bed with small rubble to reinforce their burrows.
from: "Your May Call Me 'Yasha,' King of the Stonogobiops"
kevinpo
Expert
Hi Jim,
Very cool! They are real workaholics Next time you come in remind me and I will give you a small bag of rubble for him to play with. They can stack rocks like crazy They will build a tunnel and then cover the top with sand so you will never know it's there.
Regards,
Kevin
Very cool! They are real workaholics
Next time you come in remind me and I will give you a small bag of rubble for him to play with. They can stack rocks like crazy They will build a tunnel and then cover the top with sand so you will never know it's there.Regards,
Kevin
Damsel13
Well-known member
Thanks Nikki,
I know my tank is small for a Tang (now). I had one when I first inherited my tank from a friend and that Tang lived long. So it was the first fish I got after bringing my tank into the 21st century. I have seen so many really big yellow Tangs that are returned to fish stores just to stay in small sterile enclosures. Now that I have one unless I can personally find him a better home he's here to stay. I will just not get anymore fish. And yes he's a big eater and a big pooper. At least he does not act stressed (I know there can be long term stress) and seems to enjoy swimming calmly around my live rock and eating and eating and eating...
Thanks for your input.
Again thanks for sharing the videos Jim.
I know my tank is small for a Tang (now). I had one when I first inherited my tank from a friend and that Tang lived long. So it was the first fish I got after bringing my tank into the 21st century. I have seen so many really big yellow Tangs that are returned to fish stores just to stay in small sterile enclosures. Now that I have one unless I can personally find him a better home he's here to stay. I will just not get anymore fish. And yes he's a big eater and a big pooper. At least he does not act stressed (I know there can be long term stress) and seems to enjoy swimming calmly around my live rock and eating and eating and eating...
Thanks for your input.
Again thanks for sharing the videos
Jim.
The Apprentice
Well-known member
Great little guys to watch for endless hours
Hi Jim I really like the pair you have looks like they teamed up real well .
Now you need to go a quest on finding another pistol shrimp to add to the pair I tried this a few years back and had real good luck with it Currently I have 3 diffrent sets of maited pistols and 2-3 more pistol-gobie pairs.
I currently Have a breeding Pair with a Cryptocentrus cinctus Yellow watchman as their gobie host..Like your gobie! Has anyone tried or been sucsessfull In this endevor to Tank Raise Randall's Pistol Shrimp.Breeding pistol shrimp? Any advice will be greatly welcomed. My pair have been together for Over 2 years they are in a 29 gallon tank with only 1 other Pistol shrimp gobie combination I hope not to set this up as a Hijack Jim just pass on more pistol shrimp Info...Jeff
Ps here is on of my older threads with some eye candy:
http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2711&highlight=Alpheus+randalli&page=2
Hi Jim I really like the pair you have looks like they teamed up real well .
Now you need to go a quest on finding another pistol shrimp to add to the pair I tried this a few years back and had real good luck with it Currently I have 3 diffrent sets of maited pistols and 2-3 more pistol-gobie pairs.
I currently Have a breeding Pair with a Cryptocentrus cinctus Yellow watchman as their gobie host..Like your gobie! Has anyone tried or been sucsessfull In this endevor to Tank Raise Randall's Pistol Shrimp.Breeding pistol shrimp? Any advice will be greatly welcomed. My pair have been together for Over 2 years they are in a 29 gallon tank with only 1 other Pistol shrimp gobie combination I hope not to set this up as a Hijack Jim just pass on more pistol shrimp Info...Jeff
Ps here is on of my older threads with some eye candy:
http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2711&highlight=Alpheus+randalli&page=2
NaH2O
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2004
- Messages
- 8,568
Jeff - have you started taking notes on when you see your shrimp with eggs? It might be worth charting how often you see them with eggs, and take note when she releases them. Then, its just a matter of collection and rearing . Here is an image of Alpheus sp. shrimp larvae: Alpheus sp. larvae.
Check out this thread. There is a person that made a trap for collecting cleaner shrimp larvae (and clownfish larvae), maybe it would be helpful to you. Larvae collection using a trap
. Here is an image of Alpheus sp. shrimp larvae: Alpheus sp. larvae.Check out this thread. There is a person that made a trap for collecting cleaner shrimp larvae (and clownfish larvae), maybe it would be helpful to you. Larvae collection using a trap
