Hey to everyone! I have made the decision to get a pistol shrimp for my yellow watchman goby, I am just not sure between a Randall’s or a tiger. Ant thoughts from those of you who have one or the other?
Tiger vs Randall’s pistol shrimp?
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Yeah, Randall's (A.K.A. Candy Cane) Pistol Shrimp is the preferred shrimp for a number of different gobies from a fairly wide range of genera (see the quote below), but Yellow Watchman Gobies will pair with Tiger Pistol Shrimp too.
From what I've heard, a lot of people prefer the Randall's because it's smaller and doesn't move as much sand around - if you don't mind the extra sand movement, both should work fine. That's about the only difference I've heard of honestly.
The quote:
From what I've heard, a lot of people prefer the Randall's because it's smaller and doesn't move as much sand around - if you don't mind the extra sand movement, both should work fine. That's about the only difference I've heard of honestly.
The quote:
Alpheus bellulus is reportedly their preferred shrimp, but people have paired them with A. randalli before too (A. randalli is highly versatile in its pairings; it has been shown to pair with Amblyeleotris spp., Stonogobiops spp., Tomiyamichtys spp., and Cryptocentrus spp. that I've found) - the size difference at pairing is probably a concern, though, so if you try it, I'd suggest a small goby with full-grown shrimp to try and play it safe.
Sources for some of the different pairings:
Aquarium Fish: Sharing a small house without conflicts: the pistol shrimp and the shrimpgoby’s life
Coral Reefs, thousand of species, thousand of associations: but the relationship between little gobies and their shrimp partners is one of the most famous and better balanced, where everybody wins and nobody loses. A wonderful example of mutualistic symbiosis.reefs.com
Pistol shrimp compatibility
Hi All Always fancied one but for some reason never have. 2 questions really I have a pink spot goby already, I understand they could/would pair up OK? They are reef safe with other shrimp and cuc I understand? Have a cleaner and a harlaquin Also have a chalk goby and pair of engineering...
GOBY - WATCHMAN PINK SPOTTED Cryptocentrus leptocephalus - Aquatics Unlimited
The Pink Spotted Watchman Goby has a large distribution across the Indo-West Pacific Ocean. Here, it is found in silty and rubble bottoms of coastal intertidal reef zones, lagoons, and tidal poolsaquaticsunlimited.com
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I have had both, the tiger paired up with my goby almost immediately. However destroys the tank with sand. I mean moves half the tanks worth to 1 side for a mountain. Randlli shrimp is TINY moves a tiny amount of sand in a very small area. Paired almost immediately with the same goby. Also i believe they look alot better.
OP
OP
Thank you,, I believe I will go with the Randall, primarily because I have other tank inhabitants that like the sand as well, so I can't like my pistol shrimp control all of the sand
Dr4gula.f32
Active Member
I have a tiger paired with a diamond goby. The tiger is strong. STRONG! It flipped a 10 head acan enchanita onto my space invader pectinia. Enchanita did it's thing and merked the pectinia. BUT the pectinia regrew all it's flesh within 2 week.
Cthulukelele
2500 Club Member
My ywg has had both a tiger and a randals pair since I got him 6ish years ago. The tiger is much more out and about and size appropriate at terminal size for the ywg.
Cthulukelele
2500 Club Member
in my experience unless your tank is VERY small you're unlikely to see a randals pistol shrimp regularly and a full grown ywg is going to have trouble sharing its burrow. Our ywg even struggles sometimes fitting into the tiger pistol burrow (though the tiger pistol is only 3 or so so about 2/3 max size)
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