Looking for an opinion from experienced reefers. I have a Wheelers Goby and Candy Pistol. They paired up and the shrimp started burrowing. Goby stood by the top of the burrow for about a week as the shrimp did its thing. Goby never tried entering the burrow (the shrimp is TINY — about 1cm long — and the burrow opening is also tiny). Goby would stick to the corner of the tank near the burrow and was always easy to find.
This weekend I added two Firefish and a Royal Gramma to the 40gal tank. They've been peaceful (the gramma has been in hiding and the Firefish are swimming around but docile) and the Goby was still in his usual corner for 24 hours or so. He seemed to be staying a little less out in the open, but wasn't otherwise acting odd. As of Monday evening I can't find the Goby, and the mouth of the shrimp's burrow has caved in (due to normal CUC activity) and the shrimp hasn't cleared it. I haven't seen the Goby in over 48 hours which is unusual and there aren't many places to hide for a prolonged time. This morning a naussarius snail was half-burrowed right where the mouth of the shrimp burrow used to be.
My question is this... Is there any reason the Goby would squeeze into the tiny shrimp burrow and remain there for days, including with the burrow opening getting covered over? I'm concerned he jumped out of the thin gap in my lid, or he went into the burrow and ran out of oxygenated water or something. Anyone have experience with something similar? Seems weird that they'd be in the burrow and let it get completely caved in.
This weekend I added two Firefish and a Royal Gramma to the 40gal tank. They've been peaceful (the gramma has been in hiding and the Firefish are swimming around but docile) and the Goby was still in his usual corner for 24 hours or so. He seemed to be staying a little less out in the open, but wasn't otherwise acting odd. As of Monday evening I can't find the Goby, and the mouth of the shrimp's burrow has caved in (due to normal CUC activity) and the shrimp hasn't cleared it. I haven't seen the Goby in over 48 hours which is unusual and there aren't many places to hide for a prolonged time. This morning a naussarius snail was half-burrowed right where the mouth of the shrimp burrow used to be.
My question is this... Is there any reason the Goby would squeeze into the tiny shrimp burrow and remain there for days, including with the burrow opening getting covered over? I'm concerned he jumped out of the thin gap in my lid, or he went into the burrow and ran out of oxygenated water or something. Anyone have experience with something similar? Seems weird that they'd be in the burrow and let it get completely caved in.