SeaMountain Posted February 25, 2003 Share Posted February 25, 2003 I've been reading past posts concerning shrimps. A package I'm considering buying includes a Pistol shrimp along with the LR, live sand, hermits and snails. I happen to like the looks and attitude of the Scarlet cleaners from what I've read and seen in the LFS. Is there an advantage of one over the other? Which do you prefer and can a Scarlet and Pistol keep peace in the 'hood? Link to comment
DeskJockey Posted February 25, 2003 Share Posted February 25, 2003 well if you were to get both they shouldnt bother each other and if the cleaner did #### off the pistol shrimp then it would just snap at him. They do behave differently though......cleaner shrimp are always about on the LR and normally find a perch and hang out there(funny as hell when you feed). Pistol shrimp on the other hand generally never leave the sand bottom and will spend there entire life moving sand around and building tunnels beneath your LR. Some people never see them and some are about all the time. Link to comment
SeaMountain Posted February 26, 2003 Author Share Posted February 26, 2003 Then with enough sand critters I really wouldn't need a Pistol then, eh? Link to comment
DeskJockey Posted February 26, 2003 Share Posted February 26, 2003 nope, plus if you really want your DSB to help in nitrate break down then you really dont want him in there. Link to comment
Satchmo Posted February 26, 2003 Share Posted February 26, 2003 The best thing about pistols is the relationship they take on with some gobies. Other than that, I'd go with the cleaner. Whenever my hands go in the tank he flies out from wherever he is to climb all over me. Funny little guy. Link to comment
technoshaman Posted February 26, 2003 Share Posted February 26, 2003 Just a FYI getting the pistol/goby to pair up is hard. I got 4 small carribean pistol shrimp and they have ignored my mated pair of yellow watchmen gobies. The larger ones will kill smaller invertebrates too , their big claw is a pretty formidable weapon they use to stun their prey. Also I never see mine just hear them something else to think about. Scarlet's are awesome and the best tempermant by far of any shrimp I have kept - they are useful as scavengers and cleaners, don't annoy other critters, are friendly (mine will climb on my hand and start to clean when I put my hand in the tank) and kind of cute. Link to comment
Satchmo Posted February 26, 2003 Share Posted February 26, 2003 techno- maybe you've had a hard time pairing the shrimp and goby because your gobies are mated? Just a thought. Anytime I've seen the pistol/goby combo, it's been pretty intimate- with the shrimp and fish sharing a burrow and sticking together. Maybe your pistol shrimp feels like a third wheel. Link to comment
technoshaman Posted February 26, 2003 Share Posted February 26, 2003 Satchmo, good point but I think it's more to do with the pistols being a carribean species and the gobies being indo-pac. I had the larger female watchman for about 5 months before I got the male, in a good 4 month span of being with the two small carribean ones she ignored them (at least I think so they are really small, like under 1"). I may try with a different goby in a different tank someday. Link to comment
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