Short Creek - on the tablelands above Cairns

[fishmosy]

Short Creek is an interesting little spot. It is located near a tea farm on the tablelands above Cairns.

Why is it named 'short creek' you ask?

Well it might have something to do with a 'short' drop!

We only sampled a short section but found a wide variety of organisms above these water falls including Caridina confusa, purple spot gudgeons and a species of freshwater crayfish (I forget the name, Bob will remind me when he remembers that I caught one for him, and he didn't catch any!).

Water parameters (in May) were:

pH: 6.8

TDS: 21

Temperature: 19*C

GH: < 20 ppm

KH: < 10 ppm

 

the shrimp were mainly located in the back eddies associated with vegetation or branches ect. that were hanging into the water.

Unfortunately it was drizzling with rain most of the time we were there so I wasn't able to get any nice shots of the shrimp fresh from the creek.

I did get a nice shot of a purple spot.

However I have pics of the confusa I brought home, currently housed in a temporary set-up alongside some snails (temp 20*C, TDS 60, GH and KH < 1, pH 7). I'm not sure why these are called the false zebra shrimp. For starters, these are massive compared to the zebras (4-5cm vs. 3cm for zebs). I've really fallen for these guys and can't wait to set up their new tank. I think they should be called fusa (The Fusa are coming - Madagascar, anyone?) or confusa. 'False zebra shrimp' (yawn) just undersells them so much. They aren't fussy at all, eating all of the normal aquaria shrimp fare. Likewise I haven't lost a single one through the travel and their housing. They can be a little rowdy at feeding time, crawling over each other and running off with bits of food away from the others - maybe not ideal for keeping with smaller shrimp like Malanda, chameleons or Zebs. But I find that adds to their appeal, rather than detracting.

I will report on things like 'how good an algae eater' or 'ease of breeding' once their new tank is set-up, BUT breeding should be relatively straight forward as I believe they have large eggs and drop direct developing young, similar to zebs.

Another cool thing with these guys is that can seem to have a golden glow and iridescence - at least under the LED lights over their temporary housing. hopefully I can get some better pictures of what that looks like with more time.

Edited August 9, 2017 by fishmosy

[northboy]

Looken Good Ben and nice colour to work with and I guess now is a good time to tell you we got a green one about 3km away from there on the other side of the Tea plantation,  on a sad note they did not make the trip home as I was side tracked and packed badly, we were taking Bird photos.

 

Bob

[fishmosy]

Go on, tell me that now Bob. Is that because I got the cray and you didn't? 

[kizshrimp]

Great work Ben, keep the field trip reports coming! Bob you need to get more of those green ones and start breeding them up... 

How is the rostrum on those confusa? That thing could take an eye out!

[northboy]

Ben what cray?? I did not see any. That's right you caught it. There you go I admitted to it you caught one and I did not and its a wasselli type??? for the moment any way

Kiz there is some coming to you as well, that will mean there is 3 of us with them, when I get back to get the green one I will send some to the both of you.

 

The Rostrum is why there is some off to be ID and they are very different to the Confusa type species because of that nose, so it could be sp November??, I have to thank Ben for the small flasks and alcohol to put them in TA Ben.

Malanda/ Milla milla  area seams to be a hot spot for new species, so more exploration to come and its a horrible area to spend time NOT, its southern Atherton tablelands rainforest country/ Diary country and really pretty and easy driving. You ask why hasn't it been explored before?? because most spots near the road don't produce shrimp, you have to think out side the box or walk away from the roads to find them. When Ben get his Malanda shrimp thread going he will point out where they are found, its right beside the road BUT you can fish all over the place and get nothing as  they are right up under the grass/plant tight against the bank in about 5cm of water, so you have to push the net in hard to get them= safe place to live.

 

There will be lots more new ones to come, but because I am not taking good photos of them at the moment, I do not post it any more, with out photos it did not happen LOL.

 

Ben found my water testing gear.

 

 

Bob

 

Edited June 22, 2015 by northboy

[OzShrimp]

looks like a great place to have a day out

[kizshrimp]

That's great news Bob, you're lucky to be up there with so many new discoveries to be made. I suppose we're lucky you're up there too! 

Those Crays are a whole other can of worms, back to that later I suppose. 

[northboy]

Kizs the Cray fish are a whole new world and they max out at 7cm but average 5cm and come in Black, Red, Blue and Green, they also live together well ++++ , new step is to try different colours together and see what shows up

 

Bob

[revolutionhope]

would love an update on how these shrimps are doing ! :-)

[cjwuna]

+1 update!!

[fishmosy]

Any updates will be found here

I'm just in the process of setting up a new tank for them so will update soon.