Last year, we blogged about the amazing relationship between cleaner shrimp and reef fish, and how the cleaner shrimp helps remove parasites from reef fish to keep them “clean” and healthy. Well, there is another symbiotic relationship that occurs in the ocean between shrimp and fish, but it is of a different kind. The Goby fish and Pistol Shrimp have a relationship that is neither parasitic nor bacterial. Instead, they have a relationship that is mutual. The Pistol shrimp builds and maintains a burrow for both animals to live in, and the Goby fish offers the shrimp protection from predators. When they are outside of the burrow, the Goby fish keeps an eye out for predators and warns the Pistol shrimp of a predator nearby by flicking its tail. The nearly blind shrimp can then retreat into the burrow and be spared from predation. The Pistol Shrimp and Goby fish participate with each other on a highly sophisticated level, and it is even more fascinating to know that these two very different animals are in no way related.
 

**The photo displayed in this post is of two Yellow Watchman Gobies and a Pistol Shrimp by their burrow (home). Creation of the Sea can provide Goby and Pistol Shrimp pairings for most of its saltwater aquarium displays – just let us know if interested!**