Need Shrimp/Goby advice

[SquidBreath]

Hey everyone! I am looking at buying building a family of gobies/shrimp. In fact they are more or less the main focus of the tank...

Everything is going well in my tank and I am done hemorrhaging cash for Christmas...so I am on the hunt once more for Shrimps and Gobies...

Anyone have a favorite species for pairing or just for looks? Any to stay away from?

How fine or coarse a substrate do they prefer? I have what amounts to a flat bowl of crushed coral substrate in there now...about 2.75 inches deep.

Ideally I would like to have a mated pair of gobies and their dog named Spot...does anyone know if there's a place they sells the "Whole Set?"

Any tips on gobies and shrimp most welcome.

Thanks!
Dave

 

[that0neguy1126]

I have always stayed away from them as they reportedly like to redecorate your sand and rocks.

 

[2sweet]

they most certainly do...every day something is moved or buried

 

[Nates.Mom0721]

Mine has stolen coral frags and rocks... If he can't move it he buries it. I have a yellow watchman and pistol shrimp combo. A lot of fun to watch but unless I have everything 100% attached its not going be in the same place the next morning and even if it is glued, it just might be buried if its lower in the rocks....

 

[Munch]

I have two peppers for eating aptasia, 2 blood shrimp and a sexy shrimp. Love the sexy shrimp!

 

[Campbell]

Need Shrimp/Goby advice

I've got a tiger pistol and a yellow watchmen gobie that paired immediately... They chose a bigger base rock that they rarely leave... They will move/bury stuff if its put near that rock but otherwise leave everything alone... They are very unsociable lol... They do well in my tank. I also do have a diamond watchmen which buries everything, moves stuff, takes sand and goes to the top of the tank and then releases it to snow all over my tank... In my opinion I would avoid that one but then again, it's all about each ones personality... I have a very fine sand/crushed coral substrate they all seem to love though... Hope it helps

 

[SquidBreath]

[attachment=63218:name]Hey guys...thanks for the replies...
I know of the gobies penchant for redecoration, but this aquascape was designed around them.
It's all bare-bottom, save for a fake caldera that I built out of rock and pond foam. This area is just for them. Right now I have a clam and a few things sittin' there, but I am ready to move those if needed.
If this pic is clear enough, you can see that i am using a pretty coarse substrate..and right now my concern is that they will not be able to build a burrow in it...

 

[Ghosty]

Your luck may very. Even if you buy them paired from DiversDen, no guarantees they will pair up. Best thing to do is research all the threads about which gobies pair best with shrimp, and which shrimp species to choose. There's dozens, and most agree on the best match-ups with best success.

Yes, my Japanese Red Snapping Shrimp moves sand EVERYDAY, makes huge dunes and I have to watch the rock support constantly, it's kinda scary but lucky so far. My Randall's Goby hasn't paired up, he has his own cave, oh well. Maybe when I move them to a smaller tank...

 

[kmellon]

I like my yellow watchman goby and pistol shirmp. They paired up fairly quickly and have moved from tank to tank with no problems. They are a few of the group that survived the summer heat in my house. I also agree that the shrimp tends to steal things that end up on the tank floor. I think he uses them to shore up the walls of the caves he creates. He even attempted to take the feather duster that was in the tank and shook the crap out of it trying to get it to move. This pair has several caves and i'm never really sure where the watchman will pop up next.

 

[2sweet]

I have crushed coral substrate and the pistol shrimp has no problem moving that around, he's like a little bulldozer.
The shrimp steals my frags and moves them to create part of his cave but I just put them back and spread out the sand and coral when he piles it up. That gives him something to do. The goby uses the shrimp's tunnels but prefers one particular hole in the rock and comes out only long enough to eat. Very interesting to watch though.

 

[jpc763]

Need Shrimp/Goby advice

I love my yellow watchman pistol pair! The shrimp is always working, moving stuff around but only on the sand bed.

I got the pair at Great White Aquatics in FTC.

 

[Cake_Boss]

Re: Need Shrimp/Goby advice

The thing about pistol shrimp, they are known invert/fish killers. You'll be fine while they're young, might even be ok if you feed enough, but that's the reason they "snap." Not trying to discourage, just relating some facts.

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk HD

 

[Catfish Charlie]

The thing about pistol shrimp, they are known invert/fish killers. You'll be fine while they're young, might even be ok if you feed enough, but that's the reason they "snap." Not trying to discourage, just relating some facts.

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk HD

Pistol Shrimp are NOT harmful to fish and inverts, except smaller shrimp sometimes! Pistol Shrimp often will have symbiotic relationship to sponges, anemones and corals. The "snap" is NOT used the same as with Mantis Shrimp, but used as a warning. I've picked them up many times in my hand!

 

[Cake_Boss]

Pistol Shrimp are NOT harmful to fish and inverts, except smaller shrimp sometimes! Pistol Shrimp often will have symbiotic relationship to sponges, anemones and corals. The "snap" is NOT used the same as with Mantis Shrimp, but used as a warning. I've picked them up many times in my hand!

I'm right on this one. http://lmgtfy.com/?q=pistol+shrimp+kills+fish+

[video=youtube;uQ7Ztmcf0Cc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQ7Ztmcf0Cc[/video]

Originally saw this on Blue Planet. Couldn't embed this one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XC6I8iPiHT8

 

[that0neguy1126]

There are quite a few video's and articles of pistol shrimp attacking other inverts and fish.

 

[Catfish Charlie]

There are quite a few video's and articles of pistol shrimp attacking other inverts and fish.

I've seen Video's of Pistol Shrimp killing shrimp! After 50 years of raising them and handling 1000's of them, I've not ever seen this behavior in an aquarium, except defending its area. Yes you can argue that they kill and eat it. BUT just about EVERYTHING you put in your aquarium can kill and will eat what it kills! Currently I have Pistol Shrimp and Cleaner Shrimp in the same tank with out anything being harmed.

 

[bsharpe]

My Yashi gobie and fire shrimp are great friends and sometimes the fire shrimp graps the Yashi and rolls him around like he is cleaning him. Maybe he is, very funny, the Yashi does not seem to mind.

 

[Ghosty]

Awesome! I need to get a Yasha! My Randall's hasn't paired with either my Japanese Red or other Red Snapping shrimps. They both just live in caves and kick out piles of sand. I'm gonna try a Yasha in my smaller 29g tank, hopefully have better lock.

 

[2sweet]

I love my Yasha, nice looking fish!

 

[Catfish Charlie]

I'm right on this one. http://lmgtfy.com/?q=pistol+shrimp+kills+fish+

[video=youtube;uQ7Ztmcf0Cc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQ7Ztmcf0Cc[/video]

Originally saw this on Blue Planet. Couldn't embed this one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XC6I8iPiHT8

This video only shows a Pistol Shrimp defending its territory, as many animals in nature and aquariums will do. As I see it, it dose not make them a "killer". I've seen Pistol Shrimp kill small shrimp that wondered into their area and than eat them. BUT I've also seen Pistol Shimp being eaten by several spieces of fish too. Best advise.......always keep in mind the cohabitants in your tank and what will work together in the size of the aquarium! Remember fish and inverts can't read books and may not always act like they're suppose to.