Macrobrachium lar

[Baccus]

G'Day just wanted to share some pictures of a shrimp I have had for a while now and think is called Macrobrachium lar.

And this guy I think is a Caridina indistincta

To the naked eye he had a golden tinge to him but it didn't show up so well in the photo.

[bailey88]

Nice looking natives you need qld chameleon to really set it off

[Jess]

Aw, what cuties! I love the first photo ;)

[Baccus]

Thanks, it really is a nosey shrimp, very aware of things happening around the outside of the tank.

I did have some chameleon shrimp, but it looks like I am down to only one now.

[fishmosy]

Macros are highly charismatic aren't they? Great shrimp mate.

[Baccus]

That is true, I would put them in the legue of cichlids for having brains, just a shame that they usually can't be trusted with other shrimp, fish or even snails. I had some local macro's for a bit and they got a liking for the odd snail as well as the other creek shrimp that where in with them. This one has been with my fish and other shrimp for a while now and she seems to be behaving herself in the not eating the tank mates scheme of things.

[Gbang]

Very nice there baccas :)

[Baccus]

Thanks, they have done well considering they started life up near Cairns.

[northboy]

Howdy E

I am changing my thoughts on the Lar? can you get a clearer shot of the Rostrum = nose please

The Caridina is a Longirostris, there is some yellow strain indistincta to send down next time.

Bob

[Baccus]

Ok, I will try to get clearer of its rostrum, but I broke my 6 year old camera the other day and am having trouble finding just the right settings to use on the new camera.

I am guessing if the one I thought was an indistincta is actually a male longirostris, becuase its quite different to the heavily berried females which I thought where longirostris.

If the big one isn't M.lar what would be your new thoughts?

[northboy]

I Will send the photos to one of the Scientists, along with some I collected from the Barron last week that look similar, they are there in there Thousands at the moment.

Bob

[Baccus]

Did I end up sending you the pictures of these shrimp when they had the black and white spots on the middle of their back as well as at the base of the tail? And the one where they have the red line extending the length of under the body? My friend caught these ones in the Barron river near a bridge (she did tell me the name but I have forgotten), the shrimp where hanging out in leaf litter.

Also just wondering how strong a filter will those other new shrimp need? I have a small filter I can quickly establish but it will probably be too small for the tank I am planning on using. Will they be better with a gravel base or sand? Lots of structure eg timber and rocks or more plants with only a little timber? I really want to give them the best chance of settling in. Also will they be wanting a heater in winter? My tanks in the shed can get pretty darn chilly without heaters, I just don't know how cool these new guys will want to be.

[Liverpool Creek]

Adult size M.lar- is usually darker in colour , it seems like you have a juvenile there..( using the guppy as a comparison)

There are hundreds of them just across the road from our new place.

[Baccus]

If it is a M. lar juvi how long should it take for it to mature? I have had these for well over 12 months (the exact date is around the 4th Nov 2011).

I tried to get some better head shots but she just wouldn't play nice and kept shifting about or half hiding behind plants.

[northboy]

In the Barron there is about 7 Macro species with 5 of those being below the Barron falls, where yours will have come from I think you said.

Colour realy has nothing to do with identifying Australian native shrimp most of the time, there are a couple of colour indicators on a couple of species, It is an understandable mistake to, because most of the shrimp we have in the hobby have been breed for colour and are there for identified by colour, so the assumption of colour ID is made. Australian shrimp are ID by there nose first then feet and then there is other ID features.

I have some from below the falls near Lake Placid at the moment. They are looking very similar so I will send some to you next shipment and to the Scientist working on them.

Bob

[Baccus]

I tried to get some clearer pictures of the shrimps head, but I am still working out all the funtions on my new camera.

Hope these help, it was sort of helpful in that it was cruising all over the tank like it usually does or hiding behind the false rock wall. Last night for some reason it was super active racing all over the tank and not wanting to settle any where. I wonder if one of the other native shrimp in the tank was ready to breed and this shrimp was picking up on the scent, or if it was a migration thing.

[northboy]

I will knock over a lar tonight or the next few days and try and get some Rostrum photos for you to compare with.

Bob

[redeye]

I will knock over a lar tonight or the next few days and try and get some Rostrum photos for you to compare with.

Bob

That will be very interesting to see Bob. I didn't know there were so many varieties of macro. I caught mine just near the old Kamerunga bridge. I think this particular one in discussion is a brackish water type. The salt water comes up to the bridge on real high tides. I had pics of this particular shrimp but my computer died and it need major surgery to get it back up.....so at this point in time I can't show any.

[northboy]

Most of the Macrobraciums have a micro stage ( there are a couple of exceptions), at the moment up stream from the bridge at the junction there is thousands of them, but it is a low tide exercise only even though it is fresh there, it is still tidal and has Snapping flat Dogs. The middle small creek if you can get to it is full of goodies.

bob

[Baccus]

Here is another picture of the shrimp, it really hates to sit still and in an easy to photograph place.

In this next picture you can see her eating some food but not using her long nippers to aid in eating, instead she uses them to way away anything that she feels might try to steal her food