Pistol Shrimp digging isn't working properly

[InvertGang]

Hello! I got a new pistol shrimp last night, a candy stripe pistol shrimp. His name is Lazarus.

I've seen Lazarus try to dig, but unfortunately, the digging doesn't seem to be working right. All the sand slides back down when he tries to take it out. He just manages to make a big cone.

In the video, you can see that all the sand he's moving is just sliding back down into where he's trying to dig.

The sand is CaribSea Arag Alive Fiji Pink. I think I may have contributed to the issue, as I vacuumed the sand bed a few days before I got him, which I'm guessing could have loosened the sand?

Any ideas on what I can do to help him be more successful?

This morning, he's left the corner he was in and is no longer visible at all.

 

[blaxsun]

Shrimp like caves. So a rock ledge placed close to the sand where he can excavate a burrow would probably be appreciated.

 

[InvertGang]

Shrimp like caves. So a rock ledge placed close to the sand where he can excavate a burrow would probably be appreciated.

I'll bet he moved to one of the caves in the rock then overnight. My goby lives in one of them, a hi fin banded goby. The full tank looks like this:

You can see the goby's little yellow face poking out from the right.

I also hear snapping I'm assuming is from the pistol shrimp occasionally, which is a good sign.