holy cow shrimp help! (update!)

[shayfish]

I bought a few shrimp (5 I think) a few weeks ago. They were labeled as "algae eating shrimp" and they looked kind of like amanos. Well, I never saw them after I put them in, so I presumed that they were too small and became snacks. BUT... I just did my weekly pwc when all of a sudden I saw 2 of them scurrying around, but they were... BLUE!!!

They are a really dark gray colour with a friggin blue tinge! This can't be right! Any ideas out there??

 

[hc8719]

kinda looks like my neocardina blue (except mines not blue), can you get a closer pic?

 

[Jchillin]

Looks like they could be Neocaridina sp. Check here: http://www.shrimpcrabsandcrayfish.co.uk/Shrimp.htm?Caridina.htm~mainFrame

Scroll down to the 5th one down.

 

[joannde]

Wow, very nice ! and much safer than a blue crayfish !! Of course, now I want a few LOL

 

[shayfish]

But... but.... they weren't like this when I got them! They were the same colour as amanos! I haven't seen these guys in weeks, so my chances of a closer pic seem a little unlikely. I will be watching though...
They do look like the pics of neocaridina blue though. Now I want to go buy a bunch more. I wonder if the other 3 are still in there somewhere... I definitely thought they had all become food!

 

[theotheragentm]

Do shrimp, even small Ghost Shrimp, pose a problem for fry?

 

[hc8719]

yes any shrimp (except filter feeders, like bamboo shrimp) usually will eat small fry, if it is big enough to fit in their mouth chest thing, they'll snag it.

shayfish could you get another shot?, i'd really like to confirm if that is a neocardina blue, as i have one (i believe) and would like to compare it to my own

 

[shayfish]

Okay, I will try my best to get another pic.

I am just confused because they were certainly not at all this colour when I bought them.

 

[tropicfishman]

the store may have mis labeled them to sale more, if people think they eat tons of algea they'll be more likely to buy them up lol

 

[Zezmo]

Many shrimp change color as they moult. Amanos, are one of them. I have had them take on greenish, or blueish tinges. Nothing as pronounced as you show though, they stay predominantly clear with a colored tinge. Some closer pics would help narrow down the identification.

The shrimp in your pic looks a lot like these shrimp of mine: They are all the offspring of Red Cherry Shrimp. Red is just one of many colors that can be gotten out of the Neocaridina species.
http://www.wgwguild.com/images/fish/BlackCherry-11-1.jpg
http://www.wgwguild.com/images/fish/BlackCherry-11-2.jpg
http://www.wgwguild.com/images/fish/BlackCherry-11-3.jpg
http://www.wgwguild.com/images/fish/BlackCherry-11-4.jpg
http://webpages.charter.net/zezmo/BlackCherry-adultfem-1.JPG
http://webpages.charter.net/zezmo/BlackCherry-adultfem-2.JPG
http://webpages.charter.net/zezmo/BlackCherry-adultfem-3.JPG
http://webpages.charter.net/zezmo/BlackCherry-adultfem-4.JPG

 

[severum mama]

You know, I've had the same experience in the past- I bought some Amanos and they turned blue. Consider yourself lucky, they are very pretty! Unfortunately, mine didn't show themselves during the big move, so I believe they died.

 

[7Enigma]

Quick OT question,

Do shrimp eat snails? I have a 10 gallon QT which has become a snail farm (common pond and MTS) which I would like to get in better water quality condition (these snails really make a mess), and if I can keep the nitrAtes under control would like to start to introduce some shrimp. I figure they can be a good snack food source in my main tank, as well as being able to perform algae cleanup in my snail and possibly (not likely due to getting eaten) main tank.

 

[shayfish]

I FOUND RED ONES!!!!!!!!

Seriously... I seem to only see these shrimp once a week or less. Last night I saw 2 (don't know if they were the same...) and they were bright red with an orange tinge! I so wish I had a pic, but my camera doesn't have a zoom so I got nothing. They looked bigger than the blue ones I found, but I have no idea since I've barely seen those guys since I first posted this. I also saw one that was "normal" amano coloured, which is the first time I've seen more than 2 at a time.

I am shayfish and these are my amazing technicoloured dream shrimp.

 

[LandGhoti]

One shrimp
Two shrimp
Red/orange shrimp
Blue shrimp

 

[shayfish]

LOL!

I wish they would all just come out and pose for a group photo. Is that too much to ask?

 

[LandGhoti]

Cheese!

 

[flushingfish]

Shayfish and the amazing technicolor shrimpcoat.

 

[hc8719]

Quick OT question,

Do shrimp eat snails?

...no, that'd be too easy. perhaps some of the larger, more rare shrimp like the giant claws who are very agressive may start killing snails if they get hungry enough

 

[severum mama]

Yep, I agree. The shrimp that Shayfish refers to have no claws and I don't believe they could eat snails even if they wanted to. That sure would be nice though!

 

[shayfish]

I wish they would eat my snails... I am due for a pwc tomorrow or the day after and I am so going to have my camera READY!