Randall's Goby Killed mandarin?

[nskains]

Is it possible??

Woke up this morning my target mandarin was all beat up?? Only thing in it is a Randalls' goby and Pistol shrimp?

[AfricaOffroad]

We need more details like -
How long have you had the fish together in the tank?
How healthy were the fish prior to this event?

Have to say its highly unlikely in my experience.
Mandarins dont get hassled by anything reef safe.
I have 2 that share a tank with a number of other gobies including a pair of fairly aggressive yellow watchman gobies. They chase other gobies from their area but dont give the mandarins a second glance.

I'd be surprised if its the pistol.
Again, I've had mandarins in tanks with banded coral shrimps that have been known to catch small fish. Even a big rogue crab, none of them touched a mandarin. They are not very palatable.

Still anything is possible in reef tanks, so tell us a bit more on your system, pics if possible.

[sanchoy]

I will bet.

Mandarin died due to starvation. Pistol shrimp, and scavangers (bristle worm) picked at it. It is highly, unlikely a Randall gobie will harass and kill a mandarin. The most it will do, is chase it away from it's cave (hole). But, to kill it with brute strikes is rare to impossible with a randall.

[snorvich]

I will bet.

Mandarin died due to starvation. Pistol shrimp, and scavangers (bristle worm) picked at it. It is highly, unlikely a Randall gobie will harass and kill a mandarin. The most it will do, is chase it away from it's cave (hole). But, to kill it with brute strikes is rare to impossible with a randall.

I agree with this likelihood.

[zachk]

I personally have had a 4" Randall's kill the following in a 75g:

Another Randall's that was in a pair from DD
(2) Firefish
Tiger Goby

[nskains]

Mandarin Was in the tank for just about a week, tank was filled with copepods, as i was checking the stock nightly to ensure he had adequate supply. The only other fish that was in the tank was the goby/shrimp? When i went to sleep he was eating great and super active, woke up in the morning noticed he was sitting on the sand bed and not moving much, after further look i noticed 1/2 of his tail was missing and was super stressed. After words i left the house for abit then came back and he was MIA.. Started looking for him and the goby dashed in the den and the mandarin floated to the surface half eatin!!

My only deal is do i take it out of my 20g and put the pair in the main display? Or just get rid of them all together?? I wasnt really expecting this aggression with this pair?

[jonbry123]

That is just not the habit or pattern of a Randall. More than likely you have something in the tank your not aware of doing this. I could be wrong but just can't imagine a Randall attacking a Mandarin Goby and killing it.

Wait did you say you have a pair? If so than one is attacking the other. You cannot keep two of these fish together-they will fight to the death especially in a small tank like a 20 gallon.

[nskains]

Pair as in pistol shrimp/goby pair!