Favorite goby pistol shrimp pairs

[TheWalkman99]

I want to have a goby pistol shrimp pair in my 40gallon Nuvo.
Want to do a hi fin red banded goby. With a Red Banded Pistol Shrimp.
Is this a good combo for a beginner? Is there anything else that more interesting I should look at? I also hear the red banded shrimp are sorta fragile compared to the tiger shrimp but I hear the tiger shrimp are murder machines.

 

[SashimiTurtle]

Im not sure about the shrimp, but I had a hi fin and it was one of my favorite fish I've had so far. Even without a shrimp he made a small burrow and lived there. Anyone that got beat here would fend off. I also like the Dracula goby.

 

[theKoolAidMan]

Since it's a 40g, you have a lot of options. I say that because in a bigger tank of over 75 gallons a small goby could really get lost. I have a 92 gallon display and my 1.5 long Yasha goby is rarely seen because he's just so dang tiny compared to all the rockwork. I'm not sure any pair is "best" but do research into the goby and shrimps that you link. Not all will pair up. I would pick whatever you are more dead set on; the goby or shrimp first, and then research which companions they are most likely to pair with. I have a 3 inch long Pink Bar Goby with a Tiger Pistol Shrimp and they're great. They're both large enough to be seen and stand out in the tank and maintain an ever changing cave network right out in front under some rocks, so they get a lot of face time with me.

Also, you can sometimes get a pair that are already together from an LFS or Diver's Den. This is a great option to ensure you're getting two that will by symbiotic. If you research the right pairing though, you'll still have a high rate of success.

Big tip though, if you're going to get a pistol shrimp make sure your live rock is on the bottom of the tank or eggcrate or something and NOT sitting on the sand. The shrimp will dig under the rocks if it's just sitting on the sand and the entire aquascape is liable to give way. Also, one you add them and see where they decide to live, remove any corals that you have on the sand from that immediate area and the shrimp is strong and will not hesitate to flip it over if it's in his way.

 

[Eackone]

I have a candy pistol shrimp (Im assuming its the same as a Red Banded Pistol Shrimp).
It was my first pistol shrimp, part of my first set up, survived a tank move and still alive to this day in my 92G.
Mine paired with a yellow watchman goby right away even though its not a natural pair (from what I was told)
I'd say go for it!

 

[Krzydmnd]

Yasha goby w/ Randall's pistol are great for a, smaller tank. Mine are inseparable

 

[PDR]

I loved my pink bar gobies.

 

[bsn_rn_cen]

The only problem I have had with my tiger shrimp is that he loves corals as much as I do. He wants to decorate his entrances with them. I had to put my acan echinata that I keep in the sand bed back on frag plugs to make it harder for him to steal. Even though it can be a little annoying it is part of his personality and I love it.

 

[saltyhog]

I will never have another tiger pistol, too much hassle with the amount of sand and rubble he moved. I like the Randal's pistol as well.

My favorites are Yasha's

Randal's

And yellow watchman (hard to photograph...he's in the back of the tank right now.

There is always this interesting goby pairing. I have no idea how/why this happened but I got a picture of it!

 

[TheWalkman99]

In my intitial research I heard the shrimp could dig under rocks so I did place my rocks on the bottom of the tank.
I think I will stick with my original plan. I do like the yasha gobies too.

 

[jacrispy516]

I will never have another tiger pistol, too much hassle with the amount of sand and rubble he moved. I like the Randal's pistol as well.

My favorites are Yasha's

Randal's

And yellow watchman (hard to photograph...he's in the back of the tank right now.

There is always this interesting goby pairing. I have no idea how/why this happened but I got a picture of it!

What species clown goby is that? Five lined I'm assuming?

 

[saltyhog]

What species clown goby is that? Five lined I'm assuming?

I honestly don't know. It was sold as a "pink clown goby" I suspect you're right though.

 

[Kathy Floyd]

I have a high fin goby and a pistol shrimp. I love the high fin. He comes out and looks for me, especially at feeding time.

 

[i cant think]

I honestly don't know. It was sold as a "pink clown goby" I suspect you're right though.

It looks to me like a Gobiodon quinquestrigatus. The photo shows the 5 lines (a Characteristic only seen in this species). The colour of the body is that red along with the fins being a grey, this is very similar to the Five Lines that come in (Usually their fins aren’t as faded).

 

[i cant think]

My favourites are;
- Stongobiops yasha
- Stonogobiops nematodes
- Cryptocentrus cinctus

- Amblyeleotris aurora
- Amblyeleotris randalli

- Lotilia graciliosa
- Tomyamichthys emilyae

This is just the short list in no specific order. The each gap there is, the harder they are to get hold of where I am.
Here’s my two, my Cryptocentrus cinctus is paired with an Alpheus bellulus and I’m trying to get an Alpheus randalli to pair with my Stonogobiops yasha.

For anyone wanting a Lotilia graciliosa with a pistol shrimp, to my knowledge this species only pairs with a specific shrimp (Alpheus rubromaculatus).

 

[homer1475]

If I were to do it again, I would skip the pistol shrimp. If I didn't hear him snapping from time to time, I would never know he was in the tank.

I do see my goby from to time, but still not very often.

 

[shrimppy]

I have a yellow watchman that paired with my red striped pistol within minutes of introducing him to tank. My other goby, with a red spot on his head actually lived with them in their den for a couple weeks before deciding to move out on his own.

 

[Rjukan]

Can anyone confirm or deny whether or not a "tiger goby"

Elacatinus macrodon​

Will pair with a pistol shrimp? Thanks!

 

[Sigmund]

Magnificent Shrimp Goby with Candy cane shrimp.