New Tiger Pistol Shrimp Attacking Yellow Watchmen Goby!

[Sharkbait19]

Would a candy cane pistol pair with a YWG?

Yes

 

[SauceyReef]

Yes they would. Any pistol or goby on the lists that are symbiotic with the latter can host with each other. Due to size, aggression, and color, some gobies/pistols just do better with certain species. For example many people do a YWG and Tiger because they are both on the larger size. A candy cane would work fine though and stay a bit smaller.

-Edit- Ive had about 15-20 goby/pistol pairs in my 12+ years of reefing and if they are the correct species they typically instantly start hosting together (once they find each other).

Would a candy cane pistol pair with a YWG?

 

[ying yang]

I've always read and gone with assumtion smaller pistols like candy canes better paired with smaller gobies like yasha/ high fin/ Randall's etc and larger tiger pistol shrimps paired with larger gobies like ywg but that just what I read and opinion I made but will bump this for ya

Edit : after posted 2 answers popped up so there ya go lol

 

[Sharkbait19]

I've always read and gone with assumtion smaller pistols like candy canes better paired with smaller gobies like yasha/ high fin/ Randall's etc and larger tiger pistol shrimps paired with larger gobies like ywg but that just what I read and opinion I made but will bump this for ya

Edit : after posted 2 answers popped up so there ya go lol

I wouldn’t put a tiger with a small goby (can work), but the candy cane is good with bigger. Kinda one sided.

 

[SauceyReef]

I wouldn’t put a tiger with a small goby (can work), but the candy cane is good with bigger. Kinda one sided.

I agree with Sharkbait here. The pistols are the ones you have to watch out for. If hungry enough they can theoretically turn on the goby and eat it - even if they are paired together. This happens in the wild. I think if the Pistol is much larger than the goby this outcome can become more likely given low food source for the shrimp.

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

I agree with Sharkbait here. The pistols are the ones you have to watch out for. If hungry enough they can theoretically turn on the goby and eat it - even if they are paired together. This happens in the wild. I think if the Pistol is much larger than the goby this outcome can become more likely given low food source for the shrimp.

Accidents can happen, too, and a bigger goby is more likely to survive a stray snap.

 

[Tired]

On the other end of the scale, candycane pistols are sometimes sold at very small sizes (I've seen them at about half an inch), and a decent-sized yellow watchman might just gulp one up in one go without realizing it was a pistol.

 

[SauceyReef]

On the other end of the scale, candycane pistols are sometimes sold at very small sizes (I've seen them at about half an inch), and a decent-sized yellow watchman might just gulp one up in one go without realizing it was a pistol.

I think I heard of this happening to somone here. That would suck!

 

[maleks.reef]

Yes they would. Any pistol or goby on the lists that are symbiotic with the latter can host with each other. Due to size, aggression, and color, some gobies/pistols just do better with certain species. For example many people do a YWG and Tiger because they are both on the larger size. A candy cane would work fine though and stay a bit smaller.

-Edit- Ive had about 15-20 goby/pistol pairs in my 12+ years of reefing and if they are the correct species they typically instantly start hosting together (once they find each other).

So you think its better if i get both of them small or both big?
At both my LFS, the YWGs are very very small and skinny so what size shrimp should i get for a baby YWG?

 

[maleks.reef]

I think I heard of this happening to somone here. That would suck!

Oh man, now Im scared to try to pair them lol. I still don't have a shrimp or a YWG but i really like how they look.
Can someone attach a picture of a true tiger pistol shrimp, please? I prefer the candy cane since it looks so much better but maybe ill go for the tiger, just need to make sure I know what they look like.

 

[Sharkbait19]

My tiger. The bands can be orange or brown.

 

[SauceyReef]

So you think its better if i get both of them small or both big?
At both my LFS, the YWGs are very very small and skinny so what size shrimp should i get for a baby YWG?

Personally I would get both somewhat small especially the pistol if you have a smaller tank. A big tiger will most likely destroy your sand bed - if your cool with that than get them big! Just avoid a realllly big pistol and small goby, or vice versa because I guess YWG are part frog and devour anything that fits in their mouth. Personally I think the best pistols are the candy canes but be careful getting an incredibly small one.

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

Personally I think the best pistols are the candy canes but be careful getting an incredibly small one.

Mine was ridiculously small to the point where I was afraid of hurting it while trying to transfer it to the tank. I was glad it was being paired with a Yasha goby!

 

[Grapefruit509]

I just got a yasha goby pair paired with a candy pistol. The shrimp is straight up 1/8th the size of both goby lol

 

[SauceyReef]

Yashas are so peaceful/docile I would be greatly surprised if I heard one ate a pistol. My candy cane was also very small when I first got it with the Yasha! Now it is digging dens under all of the tank. Here is a video I just took (mind the red planaria). Only one day it ever made a burrow like this. I always hope they do this more so I can see them through the glass.

 

[Tired]

Yeah, a Yasha shouldn't, unless it was an incredibly small pistol. I was thinking more, yellow watchman goby + a half-inch-or-so candycane could be an issue. The most peaceful fish in the world is still dangerous to something bite-size.

What coral is that they're underneath? It looks like a blasto, but seems pretty dang tiny, and- is it encrusting, or does it just look like it is? You've got a lot of nice corals in there, but I'd love to know what that blasto-type thing is, because I'd like to see if I can get one.

 

[SauceyReef]

Yeah, a Yasha shouldn't, unless it was an incredibly small pistol. I was thinking more, yellow watchman goby + a half-inch-or-so candycane could be an issue. The most peaceful fish in the world is still dangerous to something bite-size.

What coral is that they're underneath? It looks like a blasto, but seems pretty dang tiny, and- is it encrusting, or does it just look like it is? You've got a lot of nice corals in there, but I'd love to know what that blasto-type thing is, because I'd like to see if I can get one.

Thank you! Yes good eye - it is a blastomusa. I have two varieties, the iron man red ones which are pretty hefty ticket per head if you just type them in a search engine you'll see what I mean. The ones you are looking at are an unnamed green/teal variety that stay smaller. The main colony grew to around 50+ heads and I split it up last month.

 

[Tired]

I'll stop derailing the thread after this, but: can I ask where you got those, and if you have any idea of the species? They look like something different than a lot of the others are.

The Iron Mans are really pretty, but yikes- too rich for me. I'd love one if I found it on a notable sale!

 

[legionofdoon]

My yellow watchman is the only thing in my tank that is safe from my tiger pistol shrimp. Sandsifter star murdered, emerald crabs gone, blue legs and peppermint shrimp learned real fast that his hole was off limits, my brittle star which is pretty good size is always regrowing the tips of his arms. Rock scape it's his to do whatever he pleases, move half the sand bed from one side to another and bury half the tank no problem he is on it.

 

[SauceyReef]

I'll stop derailing the thread after this, but: can I ask where you got those, and if you have any idea of the species? They look like something different than a lot of the others are.

The Iron Mans are really pretty, but yikes- too rich for me. I'd love one if I found it on a notable sale!

Ive had a lot of these corals for over 10 years and it is hard for me to remember where/when I even got them at this point. Those green ones I have no idea where they came from lol. The ironmans we bought a single polyp from tidal gardens or some other website quite a long time ago. They have lost their gold and gained some green/purple over the years. If you want to risk getting red planaria I would be happy to ship them at a pretty reduced price. Sorry I could not be more assistance in the IDing of the other type. Feel free to PM me.