Petshrimp.com Discussion Forum

Just got this pic and description from one of my suppliers. Anybody have an idea what it is. They call it an Electric Blue Spider Lobster. I have to wait till Monday to talk to someone from company with more info on it.

Dear Friends,
We have received this beautiful crustacean today from our suppliers in Central America. This Lobster type animal is truly one of the most beautiful creatures we have seen for quite some time. While the photo may not do this one total justice, please make note that the blue coloration is very intense and metallic. The blue is offset by a very rich black color around the head. This "lobster" is found very high in the mountains outside of Nicaragua and is rarely imported. Hardy and easy to keep, we ask your consideration in stocking these animals, they are truly beautiful. We have limited amounts in stock, so we expect them to move quickly.

Thanks,
Jason
Fish World Erie

Whatever it is, I'd love to have a pair for breeding. I see some potential new colors coming out of that stock. Not to mention it's awesome looking to begin with.

It is a shrimp and not a crayfish (or lobster for that matter). It sure is incredible!

"Very high in the mountains" suggests that this species might not require salt water for larval development.

Hi Yucca, is there anyway we can tell it's a shrimp by just looking at it?

The fuzzy claws would be my guess.
If you do get some, I'll be the first customer.

I'm pretty sure it's what has been tentatively identified as Macrobrachium hancocki by our forum member Werner Klotz. This one is a male. they are very closely related to this shrimp:

http://www.petshrimp.com/macrobrachiumfaustinum.html

The female should look similar to the female in the above link. Most of the information in the above link should apply to this species, too, including the fact that they need saltwater/brackish water for their tiny larvae to survive.

This would be a great shrimp to breed and spread in the hobby, despite the difficulty. I have a feeling that their natural populations are not that large.

Neonshrimp wrote:Hi Yucca, is there anyway we can tell it's a shrimp by just looking at it?

You get a hang of it after a while. You just have to see more pictures of crayfish and macros. One major difference is that crayfish don't have the very prominent, "toothed" and curved rostrum that macros have. Most crayfish rostra are pretty straight and short. Another difference are the legs. Macro legs are much more gracile than crayfish legs. Macro bodies in general are much more gracile and their shells are much thinner (or less bulky looking) and shinier than crayfish shells. Just some pointers....

I don't actually actively look at these features to distinguish. I had to come up with some features "on the spot" to explain the differences. After seeing so many different crayfish and macros I just have to look at an animal and instantly know. It's like looking at a dog and a leopard and knowing the difference right away, despite the fact that they both have four legs, a tail and carnivorous teeth.

If you still can't tell the difference from pictures, then you'll know for sure once you see the animals in person. Macros are much more agile than crayfish, both in movement and usage of their claws, and, most importantly, they can swim forward using their pleopods, whereas crayfish just "jump" backward.

Thanks for the pointers. I will look at some pictures to get familiar and hopefully will pick it up with practice

Dead on with the ID, as usual. The claw in the pic is the smaller one, the one not showing is probably twice as large.
I tend to doubt they came from high up in the mountains, unless they travel a long way upstream. The larvae do require salt water; so much for easy breeding.

My thinking was shrimp also. Due to rounded fuzzy claw and legs. I will get more info monday. The mountain info made me think strictly fresh also.

FISH WORLD ERIE wrote:My thinking was shrimp also. Due to rounded fuzzy claw and legs. I will get more info monday. The mountain info made me think strictly fresh also.

Many shrimp species with saltwater larval stages are known to migrate into higher elevations in the tropics. Xiphocaris elongata and many Atya sp. are some prime examples.

it's nice looking whatever it is

Another easy way to tell is the claw or chela. All crayfish & lobsters have movable inner claws. Shrimp move the outside part of the claw like this picture.

CanadianCray, please try posting the picture again. I don't see the picture you are mentioning

Done