Shrimp Bargain?

[Fluval-1200]

Been looking into shrimp for my planted tank for awhile now, but wasn't sure if they would live.
Went lfs today and they had a tank of live shrimp that you feed your fish, so I thought grab a couple see If they will survive.
 
Got home and was interested to see what they actually were......They are ghost shrimp from what I can tell. Clear and about 1'' to 2'' long and noticed 2 of there front legs have a green bit were it joins to the body.
 
I ended up getting 6 of them for £1, I think that's a bargain as I looked elsewhere and they sell for £3 - £6 (the shop actually had ghost shrimp in other tanks for £4.50 each)

 

[Ch4rlie]

That's a pretty good price! 6 for a pound! Nice one.

Am sure you know this already but just to be sure to check they are ghost shrimps, not macros.
Macros have 2 long front limbs with pincers, these can be aggressive and attack small fish, esp if fish is unhealthy.

Ghost shrimps have shorter limbs and no pincers.

Can be hard to tell sometimes.

Anyway hope all turns out ok and enjoy watching your shrimps, can be fun to watch sometimes.

 

[BelldandyShanny]

ghosties around here are like maybe 20 cents each give or take, just the feeder kind, the fancy whisker shrimp (like I have are a whopping dollar a piece!)  Still waiting till I can get my hands on some rcs!

 

[the_lock_man]

That's a pretty good price! 6 for a pound! Nice one.

Am sure you know this already but just to be sure to check they are ghost shrimps, not macros.
Macros have 2 long front limbs with pincers, these can be aggressive and attack small fish, esp if fish is unhealthy.

Ghost shrimps have shorter limbs and no pincers.

Can be hard to tell sometimes.

Anyway hope all turns out ok and enjoy watching your shrimps, can be fun to watch sometimes.

 
A macrobrachium starts off looking like this
 

 
Then grows to this
 

 
And when it's fully grown
 

 

[Ch4rlie]

Heh, have seen those pics before, in fact think was you that showed these in another post sometime ago.

Anyway, yes, it's when macros are young it can be difficult to distinguish between macro and ghost/glass shrimps if you don't know what to look for.

A fearsome looking creature when fully grown!

Incidentally how long does it take between these stages for macros to grow?
Assuming it takes about 1 to 2 years to become full sized?
Just out if curiosity really.

 

[DerpPH]

Heh, have seen those pics before, in fact think was you that showed these in another post sometime ago.

Anyway, yes, it's when macros are young it can be difficult to distinguish between macro and ghost/glass shrimps if you don't know what to look for.

A fearsome looking creature when fully grown!

Incidentally how long does it take between these stages for macros to grow?
Assuming it takes about 1 to 2 years to become full sized?
Just out if curiosity really.

 
Well about 1 and a half years.
 
We used to farm these for food.

 

[BelldandyShanny]

looks like a albino lobster to me

 

[Fluval-1200]

Cant seem to quote posts?
 
Anyway ive lost 2 for unknown reasons, guessing there just sensitive. Looking closely at the them they have 2 front limbs with little pincers but there not scorpion looking so think I might be safe.
 
Weird and fascinating creatures though.