Hi-Goby/Pistol Shrimp Sand Size Question?

[duganderson]

I have Fiji Pink sand in a 34 G. Red Sea cube but it is too fine for me and I'd like to add Carib Sea Special Grade Sand which is 1-2 MM big. Would a 50/50 mix of my current sand and this courser sand be fine for a Hi-Fin Goby/Candy Cane Pistol shrimp combination?

Would 100% of the 1-2 mm sand be OK for the Goby/Pistol if I decided to remove all of the finer sand?

Thanks, Doug

[juniorrocketdad]

It should be fine, pistol shrimp are surprisingly extremely strong

[johnike]

It should be fine, pistol shrimp are surprisingly extremely strong

Yeah they are.
You'll be fine with it, good luck with them I love me some Gobies and Shrimps. I have a bunch in the 93 cube.
There's quite a mix in the cube ranging from super fine to pebbles and shells and stuff, make sure you have some larger stuff for them to reinforce the burrows.
:wave:

[duganderson]

Yes....I'm heard that pistols are really strong. If I suck up the small sand and replace it with
Carib Sea Special Grade which is larger (1 mm - 2 mm grains), with the pistol still have success building burrows OR will the burrows just colapase with no smaller grains?

[ThRoewer]

I would mix in some extra coarse gravel (the stuff some put into their Ca reactors) so the shrimp can use those to stabilize the burrow.

[scar79]

Agree with ThRoewer, although I don't like the idea of having rubble all over the place. When you swap your sand, he'll find a spot and start excavating. Once you locate his pile of sand (which will probably be collapsing regularly), scatter around some bigger building blocks for him to use. Abnormally shaped objects, like small chunks of dead birdsnest for example, work really well for them. I use the same technique with jawfish.

[ssick92]

I have the Caribsea special grade reef sand and it is perfect for my YWG + Tiger Pistol. I threw in some empty hermit crab shells so he can build his burrow, but I've had a tiger pistol with Oolite sand without any large shells or anything and he was fine with that too.

[johnike]

The Carib Sea is fine. As said, supplement it with some coarser stuff for structural purposes.

[duganderson]

Thank you everyone for your helpful info. Reef Central Rocks!!!!

[Pmj]

The shrimp will also just supplement not having rubble by killing every snail and crap and using the shells for a fort. Just my experience lol