Prawn ID please

[demonte1997]

I have three from Ecuador. Are these Amazonicum or Tenellum? I've had them for about 3 months now and they are taking their time growing. They started at about 1.5" and are almost 4" now. Their claws aren't growing as quick as I'd like though..

I'm leaning towards Amazonicum but the pics don't match up. They look more like Tenellum juvies.

Thanks for your help.

 

[demonte1997]

Nobody? lol

Why is it so hard to find prawn information? :/

 

[aviva90]

Not sure what kind, but it's tight!

 

[demonte1997]

Thanks Aviva.

 

[pixl8r]

There are very few people that keep Macrobrachium shrimp. I am not sure what species you have. I am disinclined to label them M. tellenium or amazonicum. With juvenile shrimp, it is very difficult to do an accurate identification. Even so, you should be able to sex them. If you have multiple male shrimp, you may have to move them to different tanks. Larger Macro species are very prone to extreme acts of aggression towards other males. If you do have problems sexing them, post pictures of each and I'll help.

Since you have three, what size tank(s) are you keeping them in?

 

[demonte1997]

Thanks for the reply pixl8r.

They are each housed in separate tanks. The lucky one gets a 55 gallon and the less fortunate are in a 30 and a 20 respectively. They've each shed around 6-4 times now depending on how long I've kept them. Better pics included below:

I believe they are males but will defer to your expertise. Also, if you know of anywhere I can purchase Rosenbergiis I'd be much obliged. Aside from going the aquaculture route, it seems almost impossible to track them down. Aquaculture places want big $$$ to ship them and prefer you buy post larvals in 1000 lots. I love prawns but don't have that kind of tank space.

Thanks again!

 

[pixl8r]

It is fairly easy to sex mature Macrobrachium shrimp. Here is a picture of an adult Red Claw male. Note the longer, and darkly colored claws. He has a hump on top of his tail, but the bottom is flat.

This is an adult female. Her claws are much shorter, and are not as dark. Her tail has the hump on top, and is more round on the bottom, to help keep eggs safe.

I am not aware of anyone actively breeding M. rosenbergii, outside large scale breeders. There was someone over at the petshrimp.com forums, named 'badflash' who did. But after a quick check, he's not logged in there since 2009.

 

[demonte1997]

Thanks again for the info. I'll keep you posted on what mine end up being as they get larger. Should know in a couple months.

I'm traveling to Pensacola next week and hoping I might bump into some Macros down there.

As a funny aside, there is an aquarium in North Dallas that sells Rosenbergii mostly juvies as feeder ghost shrimp. Link to forum where the members get them and thread more recently where one of them ate its co-inhabitant mystery snail. They call them red horns as the rostrum turns color.

http://www.dfwfishbox.com/forums/production/showthread.php?t=19210