Petshrimp.com Discussion Forum

Hi everyone!
This is my first post on here, just wondering if you guys could help me out.
A few months ago, I bought some amano's from my lfs as I wanted to try keeping shrimp..
They were quite young, and all about the same size and colour, but one was slightly larger, and had a long set of claws on the front.
I didn't think much of this at the time, and being new to shrimp thought this was probably just a male or something.
As time passed though, the amanos finished growing at about 1.5" but this one kept growing until she's now up to around 2.5".
She fills with eggs after each moult, so I now know she's a female. I've had to separate her into a tank of her own as she attacks the other shrimp, as well as minnows and betta fish, so she's no coward!
As far as I can tell by researching on the net, she seems to be a red claw macro, but I'm a long way from certain.
I'll attach some pics, and perhaps someone here will have a better idea?

Recently at the same lfs, I found they had another shrimp very similar to her that they've apparently had for a few months. They don't really have a clue what type it is, and sold him to me as a ghost shrimp. I'm thinking that the two of them may have come in in the same batch, with the amanos. The shrimp I've just purchased is happily co-habiting with the female, and is slightly more brown and speckled, with heavier claws, so I can only guess he's a male of the same ro at least a similar species.
I don't have any pics of him yet, but will try to get some some.
He is slightly smaller in the body than she is, and that with the colour difference makes me wonder about the species.
He seems to be closer to the typical colours of a red claw than she is though, with the striped claws alternating light and dark brown.

Is there much chance of them breeding together?
Any thoughts or advice would be much appreciated.
Many thanks..
Q.

I highly doubt that you have a redclaw shrimp, but to be sure some clearer pictures would help. Maybe you should use your flash (if you haven't already). It works well if you photograph at an angle instead of head on.

I've tried with the flash before, but the whole image just came out white. I'll try again from an angle and see if that helps, just have to try and coax her out into the open. These pics were pretty opportunistic as she was silhouetted for a change.
Thanks for the advice though. =)
If not a red claw, what might she be?

Okay, managed to get some more pics, though not really sure if the quality is much better on them.
Hope these are more use! =)
Cheers..

And one more..

From what I can tell you do not have a red claw macro female. As for what it might be....good question...there are probably a few hundred Macrobrachium species out there (both scientifically described and undescribed) so your macro maybe be any one of those species.

Okay, no probs, thanks very much for your help anyway. At least they're living happily together.
I'll just keep my fingers crossed that I happen upon a male of the same species..

She actually looks just like these macrobrachium lanchesteri (glasgarnel: german for glass shrimp?)
Maybe..
http://flickr.com/photos/8961888@N06/2091830186/

I got 2 of these when I bought some amano's as well, nice to know my lfs aren't the only clueless ones. Mine are still quite small, about 1", good to know how big i can expect them to get.

It's weird how often this seems to happen, you'd think it'd be difficult for an entirely different species to slip through like that, especially when the adults are so different.
I really like my macros though and I'm glad I ended up with them even though it was by mistake.
Just be careful, mine attacked amano's and fish as she got bigger and I don't doubt that she would have killed them if I hadn't separated her into another tank. Weirdly she gets on fine with the other adult female macro in there, and doesn't bother the two juveniles at all either.
Either it's a species thing, or she's mellowing with age.. =)