I found a Ghost Shrimp at the plant about a week ago. I have it alone, in a fully cycled 5 gallon tank. I've been feeding it blood worms and it seems to be doing good.
I found two more today. One is quite small, about an inch long. The other two are about three inches long.
I've never kept them before so I am wondering if I can feed anything else besides blood worms? Although they seem healthy I feel they are also quite fragile. Any tips on keeping them is appreciated.
Ghost Shrimp questions
Started by
Guest_Sombunya_*
, May 14 2009 10:38 PM
13 replies to this topic
#2
Guest_Kanus_*
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Posted 14 May 2009 - 11:01 PM
If you have a shrimp longer than about an inch I'm willing to bet that it is a freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium spp. I've kept them before from pet store stock. Cool critters, they seem to be a bit tougher than the little guys, and I never had problems with them nipping at fish like I had read so much about. Any way you can post pictures?
#3
Guest_Newt_*
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Posted 14 May 2009 - 11:15 PM
Any idea which Macrobrachium might be out there? I know there are some on the Pacific side of Mexico, but was unaware of any in California. It's gotta be something odd though; California's freshwater Palaemonetes and Syncaris are little guys.
Sombunya- I haven't kept Macrobrachium, but I feed my ghost shrimp (Palaemonetes kadakiensis and P. paludosus) cichlid pellets and Hikari algae wafers (they prefer the cichlid pellets). They're not picky eaters and will eat most any fish food. My P. paludosus have even learned to collect floating bits of cichlid pellet from the water's surface by swimming upside down.
Sombunya- I haven't kept Macrobrachium, but I feed my ghost shrimp (Palaemonetes kadakiensis and P. paludosus) cichlid pellets and Hikari algae wafers (they prefer the cichlid pellets). They're not picky eaters and will eat most any fish food. My P. paludosus have even learned to collect floating bits of cichlid pellet from the water's surface by swimming upside down.
#4
Guest_Irate Mormon_*
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Posted 14 May 2009 - 11:38 PM
They will eat - of all things - Shrimp Pellets... you can get 'em at Wal-Mart for cheap. I don't think there's actually any shrimp in 'em.
I had a rooster once who ate scrambled eggs and fried chicken.
I had a rooster once who ate scrambled eggs and fried chicken.
#5
Guest_Kanus_*
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Posted 14 May 2009 - 11:46 PM
Even though I used to live in California...I have no idea what's out there. It's such an unnatural ecosystem at this point, it could be anything.
#6
Guest_threegoldfish_*
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Posted 15 May 2009 - 09:05 AM
My macro shrimp was very fond of Hikari algae wafers - to the point of fighting off other fish to claim them for herself.
#7
Guest_gzeiger_*
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Posted 15 May 2009 - 05:10 PM
My M. acanthurus ate a fair number of my fish 
Once when I was feeding, some bloodwoorms got down near the bottom by the shrimp cave and the fish followed. Out rushed the prawn, which was a little over 4" long at that point, and snagged a 2" bluefin killie. He just crushed it in one claw, and had eaten half of it in just a few minutes. He started eating from the tail while the poor fish was still alive.
Ghost shrimp will eat any garbage you throw in there. Flake food works fine.
Once when I was feeding, some bloodwoorms got down near the bottom by the shrimp cave and the fish followed. Out rushed the prawn, which was a little over 4" long at that point, and snagged a 2" bluefin killie. He just crushed it in one claw, and had eaten half of it in just a few minutes. He started eating from the tail while the poor fish was still alive.Ghost shrimp will eat any garbage you throw in there. Flake food works fine.
#8
Guest_Ouassous_*
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Posted 15 May 2009 - 10:17 PM
Three inches? This could turn out to be a lot more exciting than you might have been expecting.
Like Newt said, both the native Syncaris (two species, one endangered and one extinct, at that) and introduced Palaemonetes (what U.S. aquarists usually mean by "ghost shrimp") are too small to fit what you've got on your hands. I know a Siberian freshwater prawn, Exopalaemon modestus, has become established elsewhere in California, and have suspected for a while that some of the Macrobrachium found in Baja might occasionally make their way up north. On the flip side, these could be another non-native, but it wouldn't be one that's ever been documented in your state.
Regardless of what you have, in other words, it's likely to be of scientific significance. If you could take the time to post some photos, I would really appreciate it.
... but to answer your question, generic tropical flakes and pellets should be acceptable. I would try small amounts to see how they react to prepared food, but your shrimp -- whatever they turn out to be -- are unlikely to be too picky.
Like Newt said, both the native Syncaris (two species, one endangered and one extinct, at that) and introduced Palaemonetes (what U.S. aquarists usually mean by "ghost shrimp") are too small to fit what you've got on your hands. I know a Siberian freshwater prawn, Exopalaemon modestus, has become established elsewhere in California, and have suspected for a while that some of the Macrobrachium found in Baja might occasionally make their way up north. On the flip side, these could be another non-native, but it wouldn't be one that's ever been documented in your state.
Regardless of what you have, in other words, it's likely to be of scientific significance. If you could take the time to post some photos, I would really appreciate it.
... but to answer your question, generic tropical flakes and pellets should be acceptable. I would try small amounts to see how they react to prepared food, but your shrimp -- whatever they turn out to be -- are unlikely to be too picky.
#9
Guest_Sombunya_*
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Posted 16 May 2009 - 10:38 PM
This is a web photo but it is a very good likeness of what I have.
I do not think they are rare as they show up from time to time at the inlet of the plant I work at. Right now we are getting about 80% Sacramento Delta water and 20% Eastern Sierra water.
Although I feel I was careful acclimating them the little one-incher didn't make it but the other two are quite strong. It only took them one day before they started eating the Blood Worms.
The are very interesting indeed. When they eat the worms you can see the food moving inside of their clear bodies. When I have some time off later this week I'll try to snap a photo or two and also experiment with different foods. Until then I'll just keep dropping a few worms in and watch them gobble them up.
Thanks for the replies.
I do not think they are rare as they show up from time to time at the inlet of the plant I work at. Right now we are getting about 80% Sacramento Delta water and 20% Eastern Sierra water.
Although I feel I was careful acclimating them the little one-incher didn't make it but the other two are quite strong. It only took them one day before they started eating the Blood Worms.
The are very interesting indeed. When they eat the worms you can see the food moving inside of their clear bodies. When I have some time off later this week I'll try to snap a photo or two and also experiment with different foods. Until then I'll just keep dropping a few worms in and watch them gobble them up.
Thanks for the replies.
#10
Guest_Ouassous_*
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Posted 17 May 2009 - 12:13 PM
Thanks for the reply -- I will look forward to seeing the photos when you get the chance.
If they're accepting bloodworms, frozen/freeze-dried/live blackworms and brine shrimp should probably also be accepted, and I would bet that some plant-based foods (algae wafer pieces, blanched vegetables, etc.) would also be taken. All in all, though, avoiding overfeeding should be more important than providing any one particular food item.
As for ID, I'd agree that the presence of claws means we can rule out any of the rare native Syncaris. However, that only goes a fraction of the way toward clearing up the mystery.
Exopalaemon modestus (see here) and young Macrobrachium (see here) belong to the same family as "regular" ghost shrimp (Palaemonetes paludosus), so they'd all look fairly similar. However, P. paludosus really never exceeds 2 inches (and even that, in my experience, is rarer than 1.5-1.75 inches), while the others get larger.
If they're accepting bloodworms, frozen/freeze-dried/live blackworms and brine shrimp should probably also be accepted, and I would bet that some plant-based foods (algae wafer pieces, blanched vegetables, etc.) would also be taken. All in all, though, avoiding overfeeding should be more important than providing any one particular food item.
As for ID, I'd agree that the presence of claws means we can rule out any of the rare native Syncaris. However, that only goes a fraction of the way toward clearing up the mystery.
Exopalaemon modestus (see here) and young Macrobrachium (see here) belong to the same family as "regular" ghost shrimp (Palaemonetes paludosus), so they'd all look fairly similar. However, P. paludosus really never exceeds 2 inches (and even that, in my experience, is rarer than 1.5-1.75 inches), while the others get larger.
#11
Guest_Sombunya_*
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Posted 21 May 2009 - 12:08 AM
I snapped a few pics and will get them up here in a day or two.
They do eat pellets. I'll soak Aquamax pellets for a few minutes and give one to each Shrimp. They quickly grab and eat them. I dropped in another pellet and one grabbed it but could not eat it. It was full, I guess but it just swam all over the tank and would not let go of it. After about ten minutes I put a straw near it and it dropped the pellet so I vacuumed it out.
These critters are extremely interesting and I can't wait to feed them just to watch them. Again, I will post some pics very soon and try to get a positive ID.
They do eat pellets. I'll soak Aquamax pellets for a few minutes and give one to each Shrimp. They quickly grab and eat them. I dropped in another pellet and one grabbed it but could not eat it. It was full, I guess but it just swam all over the tank and would not let go of it. After about ten minutes I put a straw near it and it dropped the pellet so I vacuumed it out.
These critters are extremely interesting and I can't wait to feed them just to watch them. Again, I will post some pics very soon and try to get a positive ID.
#12
Guest_Sombunya_*
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Posted 24 May 2009 - 01:09 PM
Here are a couple of snaps I did with an inexpensive point-and-shoot. I'm not sure what's up with the second photo but it should give an idea as to what type Shrimp these are.
Again, we are getting about 80% Sacramento Delta water and 20% Eastern Sierra water so I suppose it is possible that they are from one or the other sources.
They eat aggressively and are very interesting to watch.
goong_1.jpg 21.12KB
1 downloads
goong_2.jpg 17.4KB
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Again, we are getting about 80% Sacramento Delta water and 20% Eastern Sierra water so I suppose it is possible that they are from one or the other sources.
They eat aggressively and are very interesting to watch.
goong_1.jpg 21.12KB
1 downloads
goong_2.jpg 17.4KB
2 downloads
#13
Guest_Newt_*
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Posted 24 May 2009 - 06:36 PM
Well, it's definitely not a ghost shrimp. They have straight, narrow rostra, not the high-arced rostrum this shrimp has, and a more pronounced abdominal hump. Whether it's Exopalaemon or Macrobrachium I don't know. If it's the first it is full-grown; if the second, it could yet grow much larger.
#14
Guest_Sombunya_*
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Posted 25 May 2009 - 01:39 PM
Interesting. I have never seen any larger than this, but then I have not studied them or even spent lots of time at the inlet to our plant.Well, it's definitely not a ghost shrimp.
These things are voracious eaters for their size. Even when they are "full" they will grab a pellet and won't let go. I'll continue to feed them and keep the water water quality very good. If they get larger I'll post more pics.
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