Tiger pistol shrimp hiding

[TheWackyWiz]

Hi All,

I recently picked up a tiger pistol shrimp from my LFS with the hope that my two spot goby might pair up with it. I know Two Spots are not well known for pairing so I still plan to add a more compatible shrimp goby (randals, yellow watchman etc).
As soon as I added the tiger it made a bee line for the rocks and hasn’t been seen since. Almost a week now.

My question is at one point should I get concerned? Do pistol shrimp eventually come out once they get comfortable or should I expect him to stay hidden until I add a goby to pair with?

thanks!

 

[Jekyl]

If it hasn't been making tunnels and digging then it's probably done for. Mine makes a constant mess.

 

[Here we go again..]

I never see mine. But I hear him every night with that six shooter blastin away.

 

[Biglew11]

Pistols hide alot whithout a goby in the tank to pair with.

 

[Finallysalty80]

Depends I guess...when mine was working in certain areas I saw him constantly, then I went about 3 weeks without seeing him at all until just the other day. He was perfectly fine, I suppose just working in areas not visible to me.

 

[LacViet]

He will come out once comfortable, but with a goby fish paired with, he will come out more.

 

[homer1475]

They typically won't come out much without a "lookout" to keep them safe.

If you can hear it at night, or any snapping coming from the tank, it's fine. If you haven't seen any tunnels around where your rockwork meets the sand, and no snapping, it's more then likely a goner. I can hear mine snapping almost all day every day. No idea what he's killing, but he seems to very efficient at it with all the snapping going on.

 

[Sharkbait19]

I hear mine all the time. I maybe see him once or twice a week on average. He comes out a lot during cleanings to see what’s going on.
I know he’s okay because he is tipping frags every night...

 

[TheWackyWiz]

Depends I guess...when mine was working in certain areas I saw him constantly, then I went about 3 weeks without seeing him at all until just the other day. He was perfectly fine, I suppose just working in areas not visible to me.

I do think he's been excavating under one of the big structures though it's hard to tell since my Two Spot is also a big redecorator. Now that you mention it though, I have been wondering what that clicking noise is so I think he's just doing his thing.

 

[Sharkbait19]

If you hear clicking then he's probably alive. Don't expect to see you pistol shrimp often because 90% of what they do is build a cave and hide in it.

 

[SchrutesReefs]

My tiger pistol darted away for a few days when I first introduced him to the tank (same day as my watchman). They were on opposite sides as far as I know for a almost a week. Then one day after work I noticed them trolling along together, watchman glazed over looking at nothing all confused and the pistol just ticking off my zoas.