ejaustin Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 I think I'm about ready to add fish to my tank. (Currently has mostly macroalgae and snails, with a few hardy corals.) I plan to add a shrimp/goby pair and a couple PJ Cardinals. My question is which should I add first and why? I think if I add the shrimp/goby pair first, they will be able to explore the tank more leisurely and find the best home in the tank. OTOH, I think adding the cardinals first would give more life and movement to the middle part of the tank and might encourage the shrimp/goby pair to settle more quickly when they come. I plan on waiting a couple weeks after the introduction of the first fish before adding the other. Just interested in others 2c. ej Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GKarshens Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 All those fish are so peaceful I don't think it will make much difference. I personally would add the shrimp/goby pair first so they can pick their home. Plus they are more fun to watch in my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnoburns Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 I would add the shrimp/goby first as well. It would make it easier for them to pick their spot and also find each other. IMO they are pretty entertaining also, just make sure you don't have anything (like corals) on the sand bed that you don't mind being buried. My pistol shrimp loves to dig holes and bury things. Maybe I should change his name to Fido . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medi Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 What kind of pistol shrimp are you getting? I think this was a pretty isolated experience, but I had a blue leg caribbean pistol that ate a lot of my livestock. It ate the yellow watchman goby, two different starfish, about 8 peppermint shrimp, and a few others but I cannot remember what they were. I finally had to tear my tank down to get the little booger out. Since then peace has been restored. I know most people don't have this problem, but I wanted to let you know it is possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejaustin Posted March 29, 2009 Author Share Posted March 29, 2009 Well, I decided to go with adding the shrimp / goby pair first. I ordered a Yellow Rose Goby (also known as a Hi Fin Red Striped Goby and as a Barbershop Goby) and a Candy Stripe Pistol Shrimp from Blue Zoo Aquatics. They arrived Friday in good condition and well packed. I floated both bags for quite some time and then did a drip acclimation. I had pre-selected the place I hoped they would build their burrow (front of the tank, a bit left of center), so I put the shrimp in the tank first, near my preferred home site. She cooperatively scampered into the sheltered area and then out of my sight. I added the goby to the tank in the same place, but she wasn't looking in the right direction, so there was no chance of her seeing her shrimp. She swam around to the back left corner of the tank and found a little overhang to snuggle in to. I added a little enriched brine shrimp, but she didn't seem interested. Yesterday, I discovered that the goby had moved around to the front of the tank. Not to the spot I had picked, but to a spot that's still in the front, closer to the center. When I fed the tank, she ate a little of the brine shrimp and a piece of flake!!! I was so happy! Still no sign of the shrimp, but I tried not to worry, trusting that they would find each other and hoping they would settle into the burrow the goby was occupying. At least the goby seemed to be settling in, resting in her chosen place and drifting out a bit now and then and darting back in when she saw me or if there was movement near the tank. Later in the afternoon, I noticed the goby was out of the burrow with just her tail in it. Then I saw a small puff of sand coming out of the burrow. I thought the goby was using her tail to excavate the burrow more. Then I saw the shrimp push some sand out of the burrow!!! They had found each other and set up house where we can see them easily. Oh, joy! Here's a pic of the goby. No pics of the shrimp yet. ej Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GKarshens Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 Congrats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejaustin Posted April 2, 2009 Author Share Posted April 2, 2009 Video of the shrimp and goby at . They've settled in nicely.I'm so happy. ej Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesL Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 Great video! Now you are making me miss my shrimp/goby pair I used to have..... might have to get another one here down the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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