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Thinking about pairing a Yellow Watchman Goby with a Pistol Shrimp in my 30-gallon tank. Anyone got tips on making sure they bond? My substrate is fine sand, and I've got plenty of live rock for hiding spots.

I've had success with this pair before. The key is introducing them at the same time. Make sure the tank is stable, params are good, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, nitrate under 20 ppm. The shrimp will dig burrows, so deep sand is a must. Also, keep an eye on tankmates, aggressive fish can mess with them.

yo, i did this in my 20-gallon and it's been chill. just gotta make sure the shrimp doesn't get bullied. my goby took a few days to figure out the shrimp was cool, but now they're tight. sand depth is key, like ridera said, at least 2 inches.

That's awesome! I've heard they can be shy at first. How long did it take for yours to start sharing the burrow? I'm setting up a 40-gallon and wanna try this combo. Also, what's your feeding routine like for them?

mine never paired up. shrimp just did its own thing and the goby ignored it. maybe i got a weird vibe between them. tank was 25 gallons, params were solid, but nope, no bond. might try again with a different shrimp.

rutz wrote: ↑Sun Sep 07, 2025 4:08 am mine never paired up. shrimp just did its own thing and the goby ignored it. maybe i got a weird vibe between them. tank was 25 gallons, params were solid, but nope, no bond. might try again with a different shrimp.

Sometimes it's just luck. I've had pairs that clicked instantly and others that never did. Try a smaller tank next time, like 15-20 gallons, to force more interaction. Also, feed them together to encourage bonding.

I've got a Randall's Goby with a Pistol Shrimp in my 30-gallon. They're inseparable. The shrimp does all the digging, and the goby stands guard. It's fascinating to watch. Just make sure your tank is mature, at least 6 months old, so the shrimp has plenty of biofilm to snack on.

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I'll try introducing them together and keep the tank peaceful. Gonna monitor their behavior closely the first few days.

tide_walker wrote: ↑Sun Sep 07, 2025 1:41 pm Thanks for the advice, everyone. I'll try introducing them together and keep the tank peaceful. Gonna monitor their behavior closely the first few days.

Good plan. Also, dim the lights for the first few days to reduce stress. They'll be more likely to explore and bond in low light.

yep, low light helps. mine were out more when the lights were off. now they're out all the time, even with the blues on. just give 'em time and they'll figure it out.