Godzilla, the shrimp
- Thread starter Bruckm
- Start date
Or so we thought!
Well, down to 1 giant shrimp. The 3"-4" Ate the legs off of the 2" shrimp. I kid you not, unless the smaller one ate them himself. Yesterday morning I woke up and the smaller one had nubs for legs. I euthanized him.
Now what? Keep a tank for just 1 shrimp? Maybe feed him a feeder goldfish 1x a week?
Well, down to 1 giant shrimp. The 3"-4" Ate the legs off of the 2" shrimp. I kid you not, unless the smaller one ate them himself. Yesterday morning I woke up and the smaller one had nubs for legs. I euthanized him.
Now what? Keep a tank for just 1 shrimp? Maybe feed him a feeder goldfish 1x a week?
Godzilla is gone. I took him to the local Petco. Their fish specialist said he'd put him in their plant tank for a little clean up. When I took him in today though, his eyes got big as saucers! Ha ha. Guess he didn't believe me when I'd told him how big the monster was. Now he's going to take him home and keep him in a spare 10G. Too funny. Oh, this is the same guy who told me he has NEVER tested his water's chemistry. Seems nice enough, but............at least 1 of their tanks had an outbreak of Ich and it was NOT quarantined. I pointed out the disease to him and he already knew. Hmm...........................
Ah, Petco. Don't you just love 'em?! The tank with Ich wasn't quarantined (or treated) because all the tanks on that galley really are one large tank with a bunch of dividers, and disease outbreaks are common and considered the cost of doing business.
Back to Godzilla.... I have been following this thread since its inception with a mixture of shock, horror, bewilderment, and at least a little amusement. I had heard of using shrimp as feeders before, but never of feeding feeders to feeder shrimp. I'll kind of miss the guy
Back to Godzilla.... I have been following this thread since its inception with a mixture of shock, horror, bewilderment, and at least a little amusement. I had heard of using shrimp as feeders before, but never of feeding feeders to feeder shrimp. I'll kind of miss the guy
Well, now I'm pretty sure where I got my Ich. I bought some Juli Corys from Petco and bam...Ich. When I removed my Snails to treat the tank, I unknowingly spread the disease. Is there anything I can dip my nets in after sticking them in a diseased tank to at least keep them from being a carrier? Also, if there are no fish in the tank can the disease survive? If I move them all to a hospital tank temporarily and crank up the temp will the parasite starve itself out? Usually, is it just considered the cost of treatment to lose the inverts in a diseased tank? Otherwise how would you treat it? Remove the inverts and spread the disease on them and/or the net according to most sources. Remove them to an empty tank? This ticks me off as I had saved some money for 2 Keyhole Cichlids and now that's (and more) been spent on medication.
Yeah, I miss him too. However, I've got some Godzilla juniors I think. I'm pretty sure the 'Ghost Shrimp' that I buy at Plano Pets are same as him. I got some babies for the fry tank and they are now getting kinda big with the same markings as....the monster. I looked yesterday in the shrimp tank at PP and it was the same markings there. Of course, they sell them as feeders. I want something to clean the tank, not the fish!
Seriously, you should have seen the look on the Petco guy's face when he saw the shrimp.
Yeah, I miss him too. However, I've got some Godzilla juniors I think. I'm pretty sure the 'Ghost Shrimp' that I buy at Plano Pets are same as him. I got some babies for the fry tank and they are now getting kinda big with the same markings as....the monster. I looked yesterday in the shrimp tank at PP and it was the same markings there. Of course, they sell them as feeders. I want something to clean the tank, not the fish!
Seriously, you should have seen the look on the Petco guy's face when he saw the shrimp.
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Petco Wild Animals
Could it be a crayfish? I went to Petco a few weeks ago, looking for small shrimp, but the only ones they had were crayfish. Yeah right! If I want crayfish, I could net about 20 of them in the pond in my front yard. But they get very big, and it's possible they could attack fish...
Could it be a crayfish? I went to Petco a few weeks ago, looking for small shrimp, but the only ones they had were crayfish. Yeah right! If I want crayfish, I could net about 20 of them in the pond in my front yard. But they get very big, and it's possible they could attack fish...
I have a shrimp identical to the one bruckm got rid of....no....it isn't a crayfish. It is one of the long-arm shrimp (Macrobranchium) but nobody I've spoken with is able to identify the species. Whatever it is....they do grow like weeds!! Mine recently molted and is now pushing the 5 1/2 inch mark (not counting the claws).
Bruckm:
When I worked at a LFS that is no longer with us (moment of silence for Aqua Pets), we used to keep all the nets in a small plastic trash can that had some variation of a malachite green (?) solution in it. Since that is a treatment for lots of protozoan infections, it prevented not only having customers take home ich, it also stopped diseases from being spread between tanks.
I was at Plano Pets today and, well, I just had to get me some of those killer shrimp. $1.99 for a dozen? Sure, what the hell! I dropped them in my Altum tank and watched them hunt a few of them down and eat them. Now, let's just see what happens with the survivors.
While I was there, I also picked up a couple of yo-yo loaches and a Tiger Botia (any idea what that one might be, Fruitbat?). It's a pretty good LFS... the kind that's worth supporting.
When I worked at a LFS that is no longer with us (moment of silence for Aqua Pets), we used to keep all the nets in a small plastic trash can that had some variation of a malachite green (?) solution in it. Since that is a treatment for lots of protozoan infections, it prevented not only having customers take home ich, it also stopped diseases from being spread between tanks.
I was at Plano Pets today and, well, I just had to get me some of those killer shrimp. $1.99 for a dozen? Sure, what the hell! I dropped them in my Altum tank and watched them hunt a few of them down and eat them. Now, let's just see what happens with the survivors.
While I was there, I also picked up a couple of yo-yo loaches and a Tiger Botia (any idea what that one might be, Fruitbat?). It's a pretty good LFS... the kind that's worth supporting.
Poor shrimp. I really am torn as he's a cool shrimp to watch. I'm telling you, when my kids would go up to the glass he'd attack 'em. It was funny to watch this shrimp with an oversized sense of self-worth. If you have any Otos or Corys in that tank I'd watch 'em as they seem to be the favorites. I guess 'cause they sit for extended periods of time. Kinda makes you wonder how they survive in the wild.
Re: Petco Wild Animals
Absolutely not. Look at the pics. The pincers are regular shrimp pincers. It's not even the normal freshwater prawn where the dominant males have 1 oversized pincer. It's the oddest darn thing. We pretty much know what it's not. We just don't have a clue what it really is, other than a shrimp.
BTW-a couple of fry are missing now in the fry tank. A NEW monster lurks. These things just grow so fast. 4 months ago the shrimp I put in there were less than 1/4" and now the survivors are 1.5." Seems fast growth to me.
Absolutely not. Look at the pics. The pincers are regular shrimp pincers. It's not even the normal freshwater prawn where the dominant males have 1 oversized pincer. It's the oddest darn thing. We pretty much know what it's not. We just don't have a clue what it really is, other than a shrimp.
BTW-a couple of fry are missing now in the fry tank. A NEW monster lurks. These things just grow so fast. 4 months ago the shrimp I put in there were less than 1/4" and now the survivors are 1.5." Seems fast growth to me.
Is it this botia you have, Turbine? http://www.loaches.com/species_pages/botia_helodes.html
I was reading that there are hundreds or thousands of Macrobranchium species, and that the "ghost shrimp" could be any mix of them. I guess most consider them feeders, and don't expect them to live long enough to be a threat. I know they have never lasted long in our tanks, although I think that's due to the temperatures running high in summer.
I sometimes wonder about cories too, they seem so defenseless. Maybe that's what makes them so cute
I was reading that there are hundreds or thousands of Macrobranchium species, and that the "ghost shrimp" could be any mix of them. I guess most consider them feeders, and don't expect them to live long enough to be a threat. I know they have never lasted long in our tanks, although I think that's due to the temperatures running high in summer.
I sometimes wonder about cories too, they seem so defenseless. Maybe that's what makes them so cute
Lotus:
I'm not really sure about the species of my new loach, yet. I will try and get a picture of it within the next couple of days after it colors up and gets used to its new surroundings. I was looking at this page on loaches.com, as well as through the species index. When I get the pic, I'll start a new thread.
It was funny watching the 1 inch long SWA (Shrimps With Attitude) trying to spar with the Altums that are around 5 inches long and a good 7 or 8 inches "tall." I will definitely keep an eye on things since I have both Otos and C. sterbai in the tank with them.
I'm not really sure about the species of my new loach, yet. I will try and get a picture of it within the next couple of days after it colors up and gets used to its new surroundings. I was looking at this page on loaches.com, as well as through the species index. When I get the pic, I'll start a new thread.
It was funny watching the 1 inch long SWA (Shrimps With Attitude) trying to spar with the Altums that are around 5 inches long and a good 7 or 8 inches "tall." I will definitely keep an eye on things since I have both Otos and C. sterbai in the tank with them.
I know you guys like things big in Texas - but 5 inch shrimp - good grief.
And to think I've never considered shrimp because I figured they'd be feeders in my tanks (most of 'em anyway)
Have to say - some awsome pics on this thread too
Other than that - all I can suggest is lightly grilled with garlic butter and lemon - and perhaps a chilled Muscadet (just make sure the things dead first or it'll probably try to take your nose off when you go to eat it)
And to think I've never considered shrimp because I figured they'd be feeders in my tanks (most of 'em anyway)
Have to say - some awsome pics on this thread too
Other than that - all I can suggest is lightly grilled with garlic butter and lemon - and perhaps a chilled Muscadet
(just make sure the things dead first or it'll probably try to take your nose off when you go to eat it)
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