"Long Armed Prawn" @ Petco = Macrobrachium? - Aquarium Advice

YourPalCM · 06-07-2005, 08:11 PM

Hello everyone,

I was at Petco today and they had something called a "Long-Armed Prawn". By searching the internet, I gather that these are "Macrobrachium."

However, I also gather that there are many types of Macrobrachium.

1) Does anyone know what kind of Macrobrachium Petco is selling? The two girls working there were of no help.

2) How big do these things generally get? (I know that might be tough to answer without knowing the exact type.)

3) I read that they are omnivorous. I have a planted tank - do they do any damage to plants?

4) I read that they are "nippers" but fine with larger fish. I have a 46 gallon tank with a 3 Dwarf Gouramis, a pair of Angels and 6 Rummy Nose Tetras. I also have a Wood Shrimp in the tank, a few Corys and a Pleco. Would the Tetras, Wood Shrimp, Corys or Pleco be in any danger from the Prawn?

Thanks for your help and expertise!

Veneer · 06-07-2005, 11:53 PM

I recently purchased four "long-arms".

1) M. rosenbergii

2) Adult males may attain body lengths of around 16 inches, and total lengths (including chelipeds) of around 26 inches.

3) Plants may be consumed or uprooted.

4) Though an adult prawn would likely ignore your tetras, the rest would likely be consumed.

YourPalCM · 06-07-2005, 11:59 PM

Why would Petco even bother selling something like that which obviously has a very limited audience, and is, in all likelihood, going to be purchased by unsuspecting customers who don't know enough to ask on message boards first? Petco is stupid.

Fruitbat · 06-08-2005, 02:40 AM

YourPalCM....

I agree with you completely. I got one of the long-arm prawns (M. rosenbergii) in a mixed lot of 'ghost shrimp' that were intended as feeders. The prawn, tiny though it was, managed to survive. And it grew. And it grew some more. And then it grew some more....and more....and more (well....you get the idea). Soon it wasn't worried about being food for the fish....it was more concerned with fish for food! It took out a medium-sized Tiger Barb....then a small Schistura loach...and then it got taken out of the tank and dropped off at my favorite [acronym:a4ac44e9e2="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:a4ac44e9e2]. Last time I saw the beast it was approaching 10 inches long and had eaten everything in the tank they put it in.

They are pretty though. Here's what mine looked like:

mattrox · 06-08-2005, 06:08 AM

If they get too big they taste great!

They also make great Barramundi bait!

06-07-2005, 08:11 PM	#1
YourPalCM Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 56	"Long Armed Prawn" @ Petco = Macrobrachium? Hello everyone, I was at Petco today and they had something called a "Long-Armed Prawn". By searching the internet, I gather that these are "Macrobrachium." However, I also gather that there are many types of Macrobrachium. 1) Does anyone know what kind of Macrobrachium Petco is selling? The two girls working there were of no help. 2) How big do these things generally get? (I know that might be tough to answer without knowing the exact type.) 3) I read that they are omnivorous. I have a planted tank - do they do any damage to plants? 4) I read that they are "nippers" but fine with larger fish. I have a 46 gallon tank with a 3 Dwarf Gouramis, a pair of Angels and 6 Rummy Nose Tetras. I also have a Wood Shrimp in the tank, a few Corys and a Pleco. Would the Tetras, Wood Shrimp, Corys or Pleco be in any danger from the Prawn? Thanks for your help and expertise!

06-08-2005, 02:40 AM	#4
Fruitbat Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Garland,Texas Posts: 1,818 Images: 30	YourPalCM.... I agree with you completely. I got one of the long-arm prawns (M. rosenbergii) in a mixed lot of 'ghost shrimp' that were intended as feeders. The prawn, tiny though it was, managed to survive. And it grew. And it grew some more. And then it grew some more....and more....and more (well....you get the idea). Soon it wasn't worried about being food for the fish....it was more concerned with fish for food! It took out a medium-sized Tiger Barb....then a small Schistura loach...and then it got taken out of the tank and dropped off at my favorite [acronym:a4ac44e9e2="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:a4ac44e9e2]. Last time I saw the beast it was approaching 10 inches long and had eaten everything in the tank they put it in. They are pretty though. Here's what mine looked like: __________________ Loaches: Botia almorhae, B. kubotai, B. striata, Noemacheilus triangularis, Schistura sp.aff.nicholsi, S. vinciguerre, Sinibotia robusta, Vaillantella maassi Bichirs: Polypterus senegalus, P. senegalus (albino), P. delhezi, P. sp. 'Congo', P. palmas polli, P.weeksii, P. ornatipinnis, P. palmas buettikoferi, P. retropinnis, P. endlicheri congicus, Polypterus bichir lapradei, P. palmas palmas, Erpetoichthys calabaricus Anabantids: Ctenopoma acutirostre, Ct. ocellatum, Ct. oxyrhynchum, Ct. kingsleyae, Microctenopoma ansorgii, Mct. fasciolatum, Trichogaster trichopterus, Belontia signata, B. hasselti, Anabas testudineus, Macropodus opercularis, Betta splendens Catfish: Dekeyseria sp. (L-052)Sturiosoma panamense, Hypancistrus inspector (L-201), Synodontis eupterus, Synodontis nigrita, Synodontis brichardi, Synodontis soloni, Anaspidoglanis macrostoma Barbs/Rasboras: Capoeta tetrazona, Rasbora borapetensis, Labeo cyclorhynchus Tetras: Phenacogrammus interruptus Other: Xenomystus nigri, Papyrocranus afer, Pantodon buchholzi, Oxymormyrus boulengeri, Protopterus annectens andPhractolaemus ansorgei

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06-07-2005, 11:53 PM	#2
Veneer Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Yingzhou Posts: 162	I recently purchased four "long-arms". 1) M. rosenbergii 2) Adult males may attain body lengths of around 16 inches, and total lengths (including chelipeds) of around 26 inches. 3) Plants may be consumed or uprooted. 4) Though an adult prawn would likely ignore your tetras, the rest would likely be consumed.

06-07-2005, 11:59 PM	#3
YourPalCM Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 56	Why would Petco even bother selling something like that which obviously has a very limited audience, and is, in all likelihood, going to be purchased by unsuspecting customers who don't know enough to ask on message boards first? Petco is stupid.

06-08-2005, 06:08 AM	#5
mattrox Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Adelaide, Australia Posts: 1,328 Images: 36	If they get too big they taste great! They also make great Barramundi bait!