Godzilla, the shrimp

[trouthead]

I am taking a trip out to the LFS that sold me these beasts, this weekend. Hopefully they can tell me what they are.

 

[Bruckm]

I'll be interested to hear what you discover. Good luck!

 

[Fruitbat]

I even broke down and consulted my Aqualog on Shrimps, Crayfish and Crabs in the Freshwater Aquarium with no success. It definitely fits Macrobranchium but I can't nail down the species.

 

[Bruckm]

Is that 'Macrobranchium' supposed to be fish eaters?

 

[trouthead]

Hi Fruitbat,

Thanks

Yes , I think you are correct.

Here's a close match (to mine anyway) Crevette macrobranchium

Although it lacks the long pincers and dark claws.

If you take the markings of the linked image (less distinct than Bruckm's) and add the claws/pincers of Bruckm's - that is what I have lurking in my tank.

I have grown fond of these creatures, but if they are likely to harm my fish, I will find them a new home.

 

[Fruitbat]

Shrimp will eat anything they can. Like crayfish and lobsters, they are opportunistic feeders so I suspect that a smaller fish might just become lunch if it ventured too close. I have one shrimp like Bruckm and 4 others of similar size but different species in my tank. So far they haven't injured any of my fish but let them dent one of my loaches and they become Polypterus food....in bits and pieces, if necessary!

 

[trouthead]

Any cories in your tank Fruitbat? I've started counting my cories every ten minutes

 

[Fruitbat]

Nope....but LOTS of loaches. The shrimp and the loaches seem to have reached an agreement....they don't bother each other. There are also blue gouramis and tiger barbs.....I think they also have reached detente with the shrimp.

 

[Bruckm]

Well, all I know is it was pretty weird watching that thing eat an oto while the oto was alive. Kinda like watching the discovery channel, except live in my dining room.

 

[FMZ]

http://www.aquahobby.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=1029

 

[ecotank]

I don't think you have to worry about the loaches, I've yet to see a shrimp that could take down a healthy loach. Loaches just don'y lay down and take it, they give back as good as they get

 

[Bruckm]

Originally posted by FMZ
http://www.aquahobby.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=1029

That's an awesome find. That's MY shrimp. How that picture looks with the tiger barb in its mouth is just the same way my Oto looked. I moved them as somehow I've had an outbreak of Ich in the tank. I moved the big one, Godzilla, to a 2.5G and the smaller (2") one to the 20G. Within 24 hrs a 2" silver Molly male is missing in the 20G. Just gone. The tank is cloudy and there is no sign of him anywhere. Other than the cloud. So, now I've got 2 fish-eating shrimp on my hands.

Anyone in the Dallas area need some larger Oscar food?

 

[Lotus]

Show them this video, it might scare them into behaving http://aqua-addiction.com/forums/uploads/pufflunch.wmv

WARNING: it's a scary movie.

 

[trouthead]

It looks that I must get another tank for my two 1½" macrobranchium shrimps/prawns/beasts. I know that they are territorial, but I don't know to the what size they would require?

 

[Bruckm]

***moving computer screen to penal colony tank***

 

[Erik]

he might be a hibrid????

 

[FMZ]

That's an awesome find. That's MY shrimp. How that picture looks with the tiger barb in its mouth is just the same way my Oto looked. I moved them as somehow I've had an outbreak of Ich in the tank. I moved the big one, Godzilla, to a 2.5G and the smaller (2") one to the 20G. Within 24 hrs a 2" silver Molly male is missing in the 20G. Just gone. The tank is cloudy and there is no sign of him anywhere. Other than the cloud. So, now I've got 2 fish-eating shrimp on my hands.

I had the same shrimp, even though he didnt eat anybody, poor thing died yesterday

 

[Bruckm]

Originally posted by FMZ
I had the same shrimp, even though he didnt eat anybody, poor thing died yesterday

You grill him or boil him?

 

[FMZ]

You grill him or boil him?

LOL

I overdosed him with CO2 *laughingc

He was in my planted tank and CO2 levels went of to 60ppm

Didn't hurt the fish but poor thing went belly up

 

[Bruckm]

Well, I'm in the eatin' mood. These two shrimp have probably cost my $30 in fish. I've had mysterious deaths when there was no disease or water parameters which would explain the deaths. The bodies would always be at least partially eaten.