YW Goby & Pistol Shrimp

I have 2 O Clowns that I will be putting in my 75 gallon next week along with 10 Nerites. I want to get a Yellow Watchman Goby and Pistol Shrimp next. I had a fellow hobbyist tell me not to get a Goby because he would stir up sand clouds. I like the way they look and the coolness of the YWG PS friendship. I wanted everyone to weigh in on this so I could make an informed decision.

Here is the tank details. 75gallon(1-2 inch SB[.5-2mm sand grains]), 80-85lbs of dry rock, 2 Maxi-Jet 600 powerheads, 20long sump, HOB skimmer, in sump fuge(2-3 inch SB[same sand as DT], ball of chaeto, small amount of dry rock rubble), Rio 20hf return, and a sock with phosban between baffles to help with filtering. This is a FOWLR tank but I will eventually have corals, not sure how long I'll wait to get them. I'd say close to a year if not longer.

 

If you get a YWG they do not stir up the sand badly, it's the pistol that makes the sand clouds. In a 75 gallon tank that should not be too much of an issue.
Pistols will also grab any thing on the sand bed, frags, small clams, hermits, snail and attempt to drag them down the burrow.
I lost my pistol about a year ago, since that time with only the YWG I have not had any issues with sand clouds in the tank.
Personally I think they are very cool inhabitants.

 

So, I would have to keep an eye out for the Pistol trying to get any and all snails that are traveling the sand bed?

 

Sounds like they are hoarders........Hoarders: pistol shrimp edition

 

It's actually pretty comical. The snail will move away from the burrow and the pistol will spot it and drag it back, same with hermits. Snails and hermits are safe, small clams and coral frags are not because they can not get away.

 

I keep a ywg without a pistol,and he does like to flutter in the sand every so often,but never enough to be an issue.

He's one of my funnest fish,he also likes the sand bed around his burrow free of pest,he will pick up hermits and snails and drag them into the his den (he spits them out on the backside of the rocks) but it's funny when he snatches them,it looks like one of those horror movies where someone gets dragged off down a dark hallway by an unseen creature while the victim is screaming and clawing to no avail,lol.

 

My pistol doesn't grab anything further than 4"-5" away from their burrow. No sand issues at all.

 

you guys are lucky that you pistol even goes in the sand...mine has made his home out of the inner workings of one of my rocks.. no burrow and doesnt pair with my YWG =/

 

So should I put them in the DT at the same time? Also, is my sand particle size good for them?

 

Yup, they'll find each other.