Petshrimp.com Discussion Forum

I caught some freshwater shrimp at the local creek in Sydney Australia. I'm guessing them to be Paratya Australiensis.

One of them is covered with red spots but seems otherwise normal.

Here it is next to a normal one:




Can anyone identify it as a disease or colour variation or different variety?

Thanks

Hello bobjane

And welcome to the Forum

I am not familiar with this species.
This looks like markings on the shrimp.

My thoughts, if this was a disease the shrimp would be very stressed out and more than likely a Milky White color.

Is this shrimp eating ?

John

If that is natural coloring, that's pretty exciting.

My thoughts, if this was a disease the shrimp would be very stressed out and more than likely a Milky White color.

Good point John.

Cactus Bastard wrote:If that is natural coloring, that's pretty exciting.

Agreed, it could be called "red ghost"

The shrimp is eating heathily - picks away at algae and goes after fish food at feeding time.

People on other forums have said they recall reading about such a variety but noone's been able to pin it down yet.

It's Paratya australiensis. They can be variable in coloration although most of them seem to be more or less transparent. As far as I know this species is the only atyid shrimp that occurs that far south in Australia besides Caridina mccullochi. It's also one of the more common, if not the most common, species in Australia.

Wat is there larval stage like?

They produce hundreds (thousands?) of tiny larvae, which, however, can remain in freshwater. The larvae do need to be fed, though, and it takes about 3-4 weeks (depending on temperature I guess) for the larvae to turn into mini-shrimp.

Mustafa wrote:They produce hundreds (thousands?) of tiny larvae, which, however, can remain in freshwater. The larvae do need to be fed, though, and it takes about 3-4 weeks (depending on temperature I guess) for the larvae to turn into mini-shrimp.

wow nice.