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Thread: Tiger Pistol Shrimp creating a sand storm

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    Insightful Reefer pammy's Avatar
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    Tiger Pistol Shrimp creating a sand storm

    Hey all. I bought a Splendid Goby and a Tiger Pistol Shrimp pair 4 days ago. Since I added the pair, the shrimp has been creating a big sand storm. I was keeping away from certain gobies, because they are known to create sand storms, but I wasn't aware that pistol shrimps did this. Is this temporary until he builds all of his dens, or will this be something he always does?
    I hate looking at this cloudy water!

    Thanks!
    Pam

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    Crispy Reef Monkey **MOD** Phurst's Avatar
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    My pair kept things stirred up for several days while they got settled in. After that, no problems.
    **KEEP ME AWAY FROM SUPER GLUE ... i tend to glue my lips shut !!**

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    Grand Master Reefer Amphibious's Avatar
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    Pistol Shrimp and their cohabiting behavior with Gobies are a fascinating thing to watch. They are really entertaining. I've enjoyed many over the years. I'm going to assume you are enjoying yours except for the sand storm. The shrimp's goal in life is to "keep" his borrow(s) clean and up to par. This causes a sand storm with certain substrates such as Aragonite sand. The sand storm should subside after awhile if he settles into one borrow. If he decides to "move", then you will see it again. I would give him time to settle in and see what happens.

    Dick
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    Amblyeleotris randalli commonly, Randall's Goby.

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    Grand Master Reefer PhotoJohn's Avatar
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    My pair was originally in a 24g nano cube which had been set up for about a year before their introduction. I could not see clearly for a week! After the shrimp had moved every bit of sand in my nano two or three times the filters eventually removed all the stuff and I never had another sand storm regardless of the shrimps constant construction.

    When I switched the two over to my new DT there was no sand storm whatsoever even though I used aragonite sand. The sand has never been an issue with the shrimp, is was all the stuff in the sand that would cause the problem.

    It will eventually calm down, but the shrimp will always be digging, it is what he does. I love it! He is one of the most interesting and active members of my tank.

    dont put corals on the sand bet, he will drag them off to the lair for construction materials or cover them over for no particular reason.


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    Nice tip...something to think about if you absolutely have to keep a coral or two on the sand.

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    Insightful Reefer pammy's Avatar
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    Thanks all for your replies. I agree, the shrimp is soooooooo cool to watch !! He is making tunnels EVERYWHERE!!! I can't believe how much sand he has moved in only 6 days. He's looks like a little bulldozer when he's working. I've seen him out quite a bit. I'd have to say the sandbed looks more natural now, than all flat like it was. He has built up big slopes around the edges of the rock. I was wondering if it was the junk in the sand getting stirred up, rather than the sand itself. The tank has been set up for 18 months, so it's 18 months of crap in the sand he's stirring up. Glad to hear things should settle down. I have to say, my sandbed looks really clean now!

    Cool picture Photojohn !!! Amphibious, do you still have the Randall in your picture?
    Also a very cool picture! I would have preferred a Randalls or a Yasha, but I rarely see a pistol shrimp and goby in my LFS, so grabbed this pair.

    Pam

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    Grand Master Reefer PhotoJohn's Avatar
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    I would guess it was all the crap in the sand and not the sand itself

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    the pistol will continue to be "under construction" for about 2 to 3 days solid, then he will calm down when he begins to become satisfyied with his work...
    After a few days, he and the goby will only move small amounts of sand, for the most part, to keep the mouth of the burrow clear and clean.
    As PhotoJohn said above, the pistol will cover any coral chunks placed on the sandbed, so try to keep them in the rockwork if at all possible.
    good luck, enjoy!!

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    I have 3 Randalli pistols and 2 Yasha gobies

    The pistols are always moving alot of sand in my tank. Not a sandstorm by any means, but they do stir up the sand occasionally. Outside their burrows the live rock generally gets a good dusting of sand that I blow off from time to time. The sand is fine aragonite and they are in my 12gal nano. Definitely worth a little sand getting blown around for the amusement they give!

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