Armoured Shrimp

[Bex]

Hello

We have seen some armoured shrimp in our LFS and would like to get some as I think our catfish might snack on the smaller shrimps.

Only problem is they are £15 just for 1!!! This seems like a lot for 1 shrimp? anyone else got any? what are they like and were they that exepensive?

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

I used to have an armoured shrimp (Atyopsis gabonensis) and it was great, they do grow very large though for shrimp (15cm+ ) and need a fully mature tank of at least 6months running. £15 doesn't seem overly expensive for armoured shrimp, although it depends on how big the shrimp are being sold at.
For more on fan type shrimp;

http/www.shrimpcrabsandcrayfish.co.uk/Sh...p.htm~mainFrame

.

 

[Bex]

Blimey! 15cms! That's a big shrimp! That would explain the price! Hmmm, don't really want a monster shrimp in my tank though it would look cool!

Seen some Bamboo shrimps too that I quite like, they were described as filter feeders - what does that mean?

*EDIT: just opened the link to answer that question!*

 

[Bloo]

Yep - the price is quite normal. They are gorgeous creatures though

I've never kept one (as they didn't fit in with occupants) but I've always liked the look of them. I've seen some albino looking ones in my lfs too - weird looking....

Blimey! 15cms! That's a big shrimp! That would explain the price! Hmmm, don't really want a monster shrimp in my tank though it would look cool!

Seen some Bamboo shrimps too that I quite like, they were described as filter feeders - what does that mean?

Bamboo shrimp are lovely too and i had a couple of these. They have little "fan" hands and feed on small particles and food in the current of the water. So ensure that your tank has enough current so that they can filterfeed and that they have a piece of "furniture" to catch the current. They can be fairly shy.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Blimey! 15cms! That's a big shrimp! That would explain the price! Hmmm, don't really want a monster shrimp in my tank though it would look cool!

Seen some Bamboo shrimps too that I quite like, they were described as filter feeders - what does that mean?

Bamboo shrimp are described as filter feeders because on their front arms, instead of having a tiny pair of claws to pick food with, they have these fluffy fans that they filter tiny particles out of the water with to eat with (check out the close-up pic of the bamboo shrimps in the link), other shrimp like amano shrimp at the top of this link though have no fans, just a tiny pair of claws for picking food at with;

http/www.shrimpcrabsandcrayfish.co.uk/Sh...p.htm~mainFrame

While long arm shrimp like these with huge claws and arms;

http/www.shrimpcrabsandcrayfish.co.uk/Sh...p.htm~mainFrame

Tend to be predatory critters .

edit: Bloo got there first

 

[Bex]

Thanks guys! So many shrimp, too many choices!

A few more quick Q's about the armoured shrimp, are they predatory? I guess due to size it's only best to only keep 1 - is there anything they really shouldn't be kept with? I guess they are always on the bottom due to size? Just told hubby how big they get and now he wants one!

 

[Bloo]

Nope - they are not predatory - even if they wanted to be. With those little soft wavy hands it's quite impossible for them to catch and feed on fish etc. They would be bottom dwellers yes. They are certainly very cool and make an interesting addition to any suitable tank

I mean, how cool is this (from this link with more info) ?

 

[Bex]

WOW!

He's awesome! Thanks for that Bloo! Couldn't see his fan hands in the other piccies! I might be warming to the idea of one of these guys! He should be ok in our tank? It's a Rena Aqualife 150x50? Are they big poopers?

 

[Bloo]

Not having kept them, it would be hard for me to really say. But judging from the bamboo shrimp and also Amano shrimp, I would possibly class the Armoured Shrimp as "medium". When I had some of my small shrimp in isolation I was surprised to see the amount of poo they churned out - even with only being extremely lightly fed

That tank should do absolutely perfectly - and as long as you don't have any aggressive fish it would be a good home.

 

[Bex]

Thanks Bloo!

Will have to research on tank mates. Quite like the idea of one of these guys in our tank! Will go and post in Inverts!

thanks for your help!