Opinions Needed, to Pistol or not to Pistol?

[Warfilter42]

I have a candy cane pistol that's through QT that I had planned to pair with my YWG. The only wrinkle is that my Tailspot and YWG - the first two fish I've added to my 20g display - are best buds. The tailspot, which I was afraid would be aggressive towards the YWG, likes to snuggle up with him.

Should I add the candy cane pistol as planned? I'm probably applying too emotion to this, but don't want the tailspot to lose his buddy. I have heard of some instances where the pistol accepts a goby AND another fish. Don't want the tailspot getting popped or bein' lonely.

Pics of the buddies for reference.

 

[legionofdoon]

I wouldn't they are murderous psychos.

 

[Warfilter42]

I wouldn't they are murderous psychos.

I've heard tigers can get pretty aggressive. Do you feel/have experience with the candy canes as well? I think they max out at about an inch in size.

 

[Spare time]

I wouldn't they are murderous psychos.

Lol idk what experiences you have XD

 

[legionofdoon]

Every few weeks he would switch sides of the tank. Anything in his way was murdered. Snails, cardinal fish, hermit crabs even a royal Gramma that was in a hole that he wanted. I could hear him at night. One click it was just a warning but if I heard a few in a row I knew something was getting unalived. The problem was he'd move at night when all the fish were holed up for the night and had no where to go. On the bright side he did get rid of my acan loving peppermint shrimp.

 

[legionofdoon]

No mine was bought as a candy cane but ended up being a tiger.

 

[Cell]

I would not risk disrupting the harmony if you covet it.

 

[Stomatopods17]

This is the first I'm hearing of pistols killing fish.

Even the non-symbiotic ones shouldn't hurt much but other smaller shrimp.

How positive are you that's a tiger pistol? They usually snap and retreat, successive snaps sounds more like mantis behavior.

 

[Bucs20fan]

Sure get a pistol, you wont see it 90% of the time. They are areally cool creature but just not for me. My personal fav for a visible crab are porcelain crabs, they are always out.

 

[legionofdoon]

This is the first I'm hearing of pistols killing fish.

Even the non-symbiotic ones shouldn't hurt much but other smaller shrimp.

How positive are you that's a tiger pistol? They usually snap and retreat, successive snaps sounds more like mantis behavior.

Yes I'm sure it was the tiger pistol shrimp. He's gone now and the killing stopped. Oh and he also wrecked a brittle star and a sand sifting star. He was pretty good size though id say right around the size of my pinky finger.

 

[doubleshot00]

I haven’t seen my pistol in months or actually ever unless m trying to find him. And if your wondering its in a 15 gal tank. By far the most annoying inhabitant in both my tanks. If I could get him out I would.

 

[brclark82]

My YWG and Tiger pistol pair are my favorite in my tank…the pistol spends ALL day moving sand around and arranging their burrow while the goby just sits and warns him if anything comes near…they are both always out all day long and the pistol is always shoving sand somewhere or moving an empty crab shell like decoration

It has only been about a month but I’ve even seen some snails come right to his front door and he checks them out but then moves on so hopefully he doesn’t get more aggressive as he gets older but for now I love watching them

 

[Tired]

Candycane pistols should be pretty well-behaved, but I don't know whether the watchman would be able to somehow 'vouch' for the blenny, and that is a very cute pair. Maybe wait awhile and see if they stay buddied up like that.

 

[Warfilter42]

I've definitely heard of tiger pistols getting aggressive. Which is why I specifically got the candy cane. I dont think they're angels necessarily, but at the very least smaller.

 

[Warfilter42]

Candycane pistols should be pretty well-behaved, but I don't know whether the watchman would be able to somehow 'vouch' for the blenny, and that is a very cute pair. Maybe wait awhile and see if they stay buddied up like that.

That's exactly what I plan to do at this point. Wait to see if the honeymoon period ends at any point. If so, I'll toss the candy cane in.

 

[Cyanohater]

Sure get a pistol, you wont see it 90% of the time. They are areally cool creature but just not for me. My personal fav for a visible crab are porcelain crabs, they are always out.

mine is put pretty frequently, guess I got lucky. Mine isn't aggressive at all. I'm curious to see how my ywg and pistol react to a mandarin I have coming in.

 

[Bucs20fan]

Probably not much, the mandarin will cruise around the ywg will just guard his hole. I’d be more worried about aggression from the mandarin. They can be mean.

 

[Terry Le]

My pistols shrimp did not pair up, probably because I have 2 YWG they are always together, have not see the shrimp since day one but I can surely hear it