Pistol Shrimp

[nakama]

Anyone experience a pistol shrimp forming a bond with a fire goby(dartfish). About a month ago my yellow watchman vanished. The other day I put in a new one. He was getting beat up badly. He's healing in one of my overflows now, What I've noticed is one of my firefish seems to come in and out of the shrimps burrow, which lead me to believe maybe a symbiotic bond may have formed with the shrimp.
Anyone ever hear of a similar scenario?

 

[Len]

I've seen pistol shrimps form relationships with all sorts of species, and not just fish! These shrimps will partner up with just about anything willing to lend it "eyes." In most case, symbionts are fish that prefer retreating into burrows. Dartfish, obviously, fall in this category.

 

[nakama]

Thanks Len
I'll give someone a real good deal on a yellow wachman goby that's relaxing in one of my oveflows I think if I try to put him back into my tank it will be bye bye for him. What ya think Len?
Nakama

 

[ScottC]

it's totally natural for a goby to take up with a pistol shrimp and form a commensal bond. The shrimp will dig the burrow where they will both live. The pistol shrimp hangs out at the entrance of the hole and the goby keeps gaurd, because the shrimp has the poorer eyesight of the two. If there is any danger, the goby will brush it's tail on the shrimp to let it know to shoot back into the hole. In turn, the pistol shrimp will share food with the goby that it has caught through the concussion of it's specialized claw. (In note, if the goby doesn't like the sound of a particular shrimp's "click" it will not form a bond with it). I have a Threadfin Goby (Stonogobiops xanthorhinica) paired up with a Randall's shrimp (Alpheus randalli). In a 150g tank I've seen then twice in months. It was like hiding $30 in the rocks way in the back. They are great for smaller tanks.