Shrimp ID

[Morbid Visions]

So I went down to my LFS today for some plants and shrimp, they got in shipment of shrimp a while back and had a few left so I ended up getting five in total. This consisted of two singapore flower shrimp and what was supposed to be three bee shrimp. Anyway, I got home, drip acclimated the shrimp and put them in the tank. About 10 minutes after putting them in the tank I couldn't help but notice one fairly large shrimp terrorizing the tank, it's about 2" in length and has one very long claw. I did take some pictures, although most of them are pretty crappy, it should be good enough to get a ID on it.. I really don't know how I didn't notice it before..



Thanks.

 

[mudskipper10]

bamboo shrimp? not that i would know

 

[vwill279]

Not a bamboo shrimp. Looks like it might be some sort of prawn. If it is, you will have to move it asap, they can be very aggressive. Usually each is kept to its own tank.

 

[Palillom13]

That's a baby freshwater prawn.


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app

 

[Morbid Visions]

Oh, how lovely. I guess I will be taking him back, along with the dead bee shrimp I found this morning.. I actually thought it was a freshwater prawn, but after looking at some pictures I ruled it out since this little guy only has one large claw. At first I thought one claw was missing, turns out it's just really small.

I am, however, starting to like the little guy, anyone have any care info on them (temperature, pH, diet, tank size, maximum size, ect)? Couldn't find anything by searching 'Freshwater prawn care', other than how to farm them. That is, if it even is a freshwater prawn.

I'll try and get some more pictures, if I can, every time I get my camera out, he disappears.

 

[Morbid Visions]

 

[demonte1997]

Tough to say what kind but definitely a Macrobrachium. Possibly grandimanus? Some prawn species uneven claws much like a marine lobster. The one you have could be one of those types or it lost its other claw in a fight and is in the process of regenerating it. If I were you, I'd keep it in a tank by itself. Prawn are very tough to come by in the aquarium trade. They have very cool personalities.

 

[Morbid Visions]

Thank you for the reply.

I'd love to keep it, but I'm not sure if I have the space for another aquarium. How big of one would it require? I *might* have room for a 20-24" tank, but that's about it. Unless it can be kept with other fish, if so he could probably go in my grow out tank (2 3" frontosas, 2 3-5" bichirs). Right now they're in a 30 high, but after their tanks done cycling it'll be a 90 gallon. Also, the diet, are they omnivores? I've been feeding bloodworms, brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, mosquito larvae, veggie flakes, squash and spinach. I know he's also snatched a few of my guppy fry as well, don't really care about that though since they're feeders for my knife and gar.

I'm pretty positive that the claws are different sizes, one of them is large and the other one is probably the size of a bee shrimps claw.

 

[demonte1997]

That should work for now. I have a feeling that prawn would only get 4" max for body length. It's worth a shot.

 

[Morbid Visions]

Alright, I'm going to keep in the 10 gallon for now, I think I'd like to move it to my 120 gallon community tank if it only gets 4". My only concern would be the frogs, I wouldn't want the prawn injuring them. What I've got in my 120 gallon is ADFs, tetras, angelfish, elephant nose, rosy barbs, an oscar with a very, very deformed mouth (seriously, he can barely fit a bloodworm in there), plecos, catfish, dwarf cichlids, loaches and rainbowfish. Can you see any problems there with mixing the current stock with the prawn? If not, I'm going to see if they have anymore, because they're pretty neat.