Killer Shrimp

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biondoa

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Feb 6, 2015
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Alison
I decided to start a new thread with this info, because the previous thread about one shrimp growing huge may not be looked at again. I mentioned that one of my amano shrimp became very large; over two inches in length. Yesterday I took him out of the 20g, and moved him over to the 75g, where I thought he would be more comfortable.
This morning two of my young angelfish were dead. Their eyes were missing and their tails were mostly gone. I didn't look very closely after that.
The shrimp is now in the QT, and I will bring him back to the LFS tomorrow. My little angels were only about dime size, and with their long fins, I guess they were an easy grab for him. They were perfectly healthy yesterday.
Has anyone else ever had an experience like this?
 

SnakeIce

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Sounds like it could have been a macrobrachium shrimp. They are predatory and will take whatever they can grab. Some species can get to over 12 inches long. I know some people keep them alone in a tank as an unusual pet.
 

biondoa

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After doing a little more research, I think you are correct. It must be a macrobrachium shrimp. Somehow it must have gotten mixed up with the amanos. It looked just the same when purchased, but then grew much larger than the others. I definitely don't want a predator in any of my tanks.
 

biondoa

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Feb 6, 2015
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So the killer shrimp went back to the LFS today and my guy there had never heard of macrobrachium shrimp, but he was very fascinated. I hope he will find someone who wants a creature like that, but that would not be me. I got 2 new angels to replace the lost ones and my cardinal tetras, which he has been quarantining for me. They are all looking beautiful.
This was a pretty sad story, but when you buy a bunch of small shrimp in a small town petshop, you pays your money and you takes your chances.
 
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