Orchid dottyback - Pistol shrimp help!

Annedee · 03/19/2018, 08:34 PM

So my orchid dottyback was the last fish introduced to my reef tank, 6 months ago. It has behaved well and not bothered anything to my knowledge. I did lose an emerald crab, but not sure how. My hi-fin yellow rose goby and Randalli pistol shrimp have a cave front and center. The dottyback made its burrow about a foot away, under a different rock. The other day, my pistol was just lying in front of the dotty’s cave barely moving. It perished soon after. RIP.

Two things could have happened. Either the pistol tunneled over and showed up in the dotty’s cave where it was attacked for self-defense. Or, the dotty attaches and took it to her home. I don’t believe this was the case, as the dotty was not still attacking and the shrimp was still alive.

So my question is... what steps should I take in introducing a new pistol? If I have to choose between the two, I’ll choose the pistol. My poor goby seems so sad and lonely now. Could I put the dotty in a hospital tank while a pistol gets acquainted in its new home and then reintroduce? If so, will it likely meet the same fate?

Anyone have experience w orchids AND shrimp? TIA

NYCBOB · 03/20/2018, 05:17 AM

Orchids are quite docile in general. Perhaps the pistol passed from old age?

Annedee · 03/20/2018, 05:45 AM

I had him for 1yr and 8 months. He was not full grown when I got him.

alton · 03/20/2018, 05:53 AM

Pistols are bullet proof, not even a mantis has a chance. Like NYCBOB said Orchids are normally very docile? Sometime things are out of our control

Crooked Reef · 03/20/2018, 07:00 AM

How long ago did you lose the emerald and what are your water parameters? I don’t think a dottyback can take out a pistol shrimp.

Annedee · 03/20/2018, 10:11 AM

I had my emerald for only 2-3 months. I’ve been struggling to keep my all up. It stays around 7. I did discover my return pump was losing its strength because the tank temp was low... 75.

Ph 8.0
Cal 400
Mag 1600
NO3 0
PO 0
Salinity 35 (1.026)

I do have nitrates and phosphates, they just are bound up in my cyano bloom from lack of flow from the return. My powerheads turn the display 30x/hr.

Annedee · 03/20/2018, 10:12 AM

Edit: Struggle to keep Alk up

03/19/2018, 08:34 PM	#1
Annedee Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Posts: 5	Orchid dottyback - Pistol shrimp help! So my orchid dottyback was the last fish introduced to my reef tank, 6 months ago. It has behaved well and not bothered anything to my knowledge. I did lose an emerald crab, but not sure how. My hi-fin yellow rose goby and Randalli pistol shrimp have a cave front and center. The dottyback made its burrow about a foot away, under a different rock. The other day, my pistol was just lying in front of the dotty’s cave barely moving. It perished soon after. RIP. Two things could have happened. Either the pistol tunneled over and showed up in the dotty’s cave where it was attacked for self-defense. Or, the dotty attaches and took it to her home. I don’t believe this was the case, as the dotty was not still attacking and the shrimp was still alive. So my question is... what steps should I take in introducing a new pistol? If I have to choose between the two, I’ll choose the pistol. My poor goby seems so sad and lonely now. Could I put the dotty in a hospital tank while a pistol gets acquainted in its new home and then reintroduce? If so, will it likely meet the same fate? Anyone have experience w orchids AND shrimp? TIA

03/20/2018, 07:00 AM	#5
Crooked Reef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 1,765	How long ago did you lose the emerald and what are your water parameters? I don’t think a dottyback can take out a pistol shrimp. __________________ “In wine there is wisdom; in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.” - Benjamin Franklin Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef. Biocube 29 lionfish tank. Mantis tank.

03/20/2018, 05:17 AM	#2
NYCBOB Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NYC Posts: 1,768	Orchids are quite docile in general. Perhaps the pistol passed from old age?

03/20/2018, 05:45 AM	#3
Annedee Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Posts: 5	I had him for 1yr and 8 months. He was not full grown when I got him.

03/20/2018, 05:53 AM	#4
alton Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Zuehl, Texas Posts: 4,460	Pistols are bullet proof, not even a mantis has a chance. Like NYCBOB said Orchids are normally very docile? Sometime things are out of our control

03/20/2018, 10:11 AM	#6
Annedee Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Posts: 5	I had my emerald for only 2-3 months. I’ve been struggling to keep my all up. It stays around 7. I did discover my return pump was losing its strength because the tank temp was low... 75. Ph 8.0 Cal 400 Mag 1600 NO3 0 PO 0 Salinity 35 (1.026) I do have nitrates and phosphates, they just are bound up in my cyano bloom from lack of flow from the return. My powerheads turn the display 30x/hr.

03/20/2018, 10:12 AM	#7
Annedee Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Posts: 5	Edit: Struggle to keep Alk up