How to Start a Pistol Shrimp/Goby Pair

A pistol shrimp and goby symbiotic relationship can easily become the highlight of any saltwater aquarium. These two animals each provide a service to the other, resulting in one of nature's most interesting displays. This guide will show you how to get a goby and a pistol shrimp to live together even if you purchase the two separately.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Saltwater tank 30 gallons or larger and completely cycled.
• Goby
• Pistol Shrimp
• Deep substrate at the bottom of your tank, preferably live sand with some pieces of rubble.

1. 
    
   Due to its small size, this Randall's Pistol shrimp can safely be kept with cleaner shrimp and hermit crabs.

   First, forget all the negative things you have heard about pistol shrimp breaking aquarium glass and killing all your other tank inhabitants. Pistol shrimp do not possess the necessary power to break the glass of your aquarium. These types of events are likely to occur because you have a mantis shrimp in your tank. Mantis shrimp are a completely different group of animals that do not form relationships with gobies. In addition, many other animals can be kept with your shrimp/goby pair as long as you take some precautions. Ideally you would keep these two in a tank by themselves. That way you don't have to worry about the pistol shrimp harming anything. Just do some research to see what other people are keeping with their pistol shrimp, and make sure you don't put anything in your tank that could eat the pistol shrimp.

2. 
    
   A Yasha Hasa goby with its partner, a Randall's Pistol shrimp.

   Next, you need to decide which goby or pistol shrimp you want to have in your tank, and then pick out a compatible partner for it. Certain species of goby will only live with certain species of pistol shrimp, so picking two compatible species is paramount to your success. Any reputable online retailer or local fish store should be able to tell you which species would be compatible together.

3. 
    
   A Yellow Watchman Goby protecting its partner, a Tiger Pistol Shrimp, as it digs in the sand.

   Ideally you would buy a goby and shrimp together that have already formed a relationship. In this case you have the greatest chance that they will remain a pair once you place them in your tank. However, this can usually be more expensive than if you bought the two separately, and there is no guarantee that once you place the two in your tank they will continue to live together.

4. 
    
   A pair of Hi-fin Gobies with their symboiant, a Tiger Pistol Shrimp.

   If you are unable or choose not to buy the goby and the shrimp together, then you still can have a goby and shrimp pair. However, there is a possibility that the two will never live together, or it may take a long time, sometimes months. To help out the introduction process, try to keep the two alone in a smaller size tank, such as 30 gallons.

5. 
    
   A Yellow Watchman Goby ready for a pistol shrimp partner.

   To help with the introduction, you should purchase the goby first. Allow the goby to find its own area in the tank and get comfortable for a couple of weeks. After this has occurred, the goby will have a safe area for the two to meet up, rather than if you dumped them in the tank at the same time, and they were both looking for somewhere to hide.

6. 
    
   Tiger Pistol Shrimp are among the larger of the pistol shrimps available.

   When introducing the shrimp, try to drop it in the tank directly above the goby's burrow. Hopefully once the shrimp hits the sand it will sense the goby right away or will choose to hide in the burrow of the goby. Once the two actually come into contact with one another the relationship can be established in an instant. If you see the pistol shrimp digging and cleaning up the burrow with the goby watching over it, then you have been successful. Sit back and enjoy.

7. 
    
   A pistol shrimp doing just fine on it's own.

   However, if the shrimp runs off, or the two otherwise seem to become separated, don't worry. The two have not yet begun a relationship, but at this point patience is the key. This process could happen in the middle of the first night, months later, or unfortunately it could never happen. If the two never do form a pair, then you don't need to worry too much, the goby and the shrimp will be ok without one another as long as there are no predators for the pistol shrimp. The majority of the time the shrimp and the goby will form a relationship within the first few days together. These points are only mentioned because there is a possibility that the two will not partner up.

8. 
    
   Another pistol shimp/goby pair.

   What do you do if after six months the two are still not together? Well, during the first six months, try not to force the two to join up. This will only cause stress for the shrimp and the goby, which will not help them form a bond. However, after a while you can attempt to capture the shrimp and try to place him in front of the goby's burrow entrance once again.

Tips & Warnings

• Be patient. The relationship is not always instant.
• Get a compatible pair. Not every species of goby will leave with every species of pistol shrimp.
• Keep the tank on the small side. If the tank is smaller there is a greater chance that they will run into one another.
• Keep them alone. This creates a stress free environment where the two can meet up on their own terms without being pestered by other inhabitants. Also you won't have to worry about compatibility issues with the pistol shrimp.
• Some animals will eat pistol shrimp.
• Some pistol shrimp will eat other animals.

Resources

• Live Aquaria - A great online source for both gobies and pistol shrimp.
• WetWebMedia - A site for more information on goby/pistol shrimp pairs.

[Rockney]

on 5/11/2009 Great article! 5*!