Early Birthday Present

[Baccus]

I was very lucky the other day, in not only did a certain fish sale site finally have riffle shrimp back in stock, but they also had them on special and added to that its my birthday next week. So my Hubby (who swore never again to give me live animals for my birthday - last ones where a pair of Rosa Bourkes and then he had to build be an aviary hehehehe), relented and got me 10 riffles.

They arrived today and compared to the little tackers I got in Cairns these girls (mostly girls) are monsters and one is even berried :) .

So here is introducing the new girls on the block.

While photographing these new girls I also found three of my original males hidden away in their java fern feeding away, but sadly they where on the wrong angle for a photograph.

[newbreed]

Great Birthday present!! I love the riffles, look so great fanning the water around them.

Awesome pictures too! Lots of berries there!!

[ineke]

Awesome birthday present!

[Baccus]

They certainly are AWESOME shrimp, and I am captivated watching them riffle (or is it wiffle) the water, and so much better to see such large shrimp engaging in the activity, since my "midget" riffles are hard enough to find let alone see their nets in action.

And sadly while I am stoked about getting these riffles it has come to my attention another native species of shrimp that is not currently in the trade and potentially not likely to be any time soon, that I have fallen in love with from afar.

[newbreed]

Ahh, the joys of addiction!! :)

The problem is there are so many beautiful shrimps that we just cannot have. We just have to enjoy the beauties that we do!!

Now I am tempted to go for a native shrimp tank too!!

[Baccus]

Its being worked on to get these other natives into aquaria, but red tape even on our natives is long drawn out and time consuming.

I really hope these other shrimp to get released on to the open market, because believe me they are STUNNERS.

And I would set up a native tank, you may just find them as addictive and collection compulsive as all the introduced shrimp ;)

[Baccus]

This guy has settled into a most convenient place for me to photograph and enjoy watching him wiffle the water. Right in the front of the tank beside the glass and tucked away under a leaf. The only time I have not seen him wiffling is when I pumped the glass with the camera lens, then he froze for about 30 seconds and then got on with feeding again.

[Squiggle]

Very nice pics, definitely an awesome birthday present! :encouragement:

[Baccus]

One of the larger females finally decided to semi show herself today, they have only been in a few days now, but I am hoping with time they get braver and show themselves more often.

They look amazingly similar to Bamboo shrimp, and considering we share many Asian species/ sub species I am guessing somewhere down the historical line they are actually related.

[FishBeast]

God I would love to have some massive rifles for my main display tank.... mmm... Can't wait to go rifle hunting!

Congrats, I am sure that they will be right at home in there.