Pics of my Paratya australiensis var red *Rare*

[Triggs]

Hey all.

I thought Id share a Shrimp I caught around a year or so ago.

It's currently housed in my 20L tank.

It's a pretty interesting little critter. It actually changes colours depending on water parameters or moods.

If nitrates raise to 5ppm or so it changes to a Black colour, when conditions are perfect it's as Red as a cherry, and if the temperature is above 26dc it changes to Orange.

I've recently redone all my 20L up so I think it's upset him a little as he has black patches on his head and under his tail at the moment. But he seems happy and tank all seems fine so I'm sure he will settle down.

Anyways enough rambles here's some pictures of my little dude.

Sorry about photo quality, My camera and setup has nothing on some of you guys so this is the best my camera can take in Macro.

Thanks for checking out my Shrimp :)

[Ziek]

WOW mate that little guy is amazing, really like the colours makes me want to go out and check the creeks well once this weather dies down lol

[Aquathumb]

nery nice shrimp, we are very lucky to have so many beautiful natives. cant wait to see the shrimping hobby in Australia in 5-10 years time!

[fishmosy]

Great stuff Triggs. Its like Bob has been saying, Aussie shrimp have great potential, enough to even rival the exotics.

[Neo-shrimp]

Very interesting thread Triggs...We need more exposure of our natives shrimps to encourage shrimp enthusiasts to breed them and you never know what might happen? Thanks for the pics...CJ

[Triggs]

Cheers guys.

later on today I will try to upload and post some pictures I've got around here somewhere of him in other colour modes.

[Daydream]

Thanks for the pics nice shrimpy you have there

[Gbang]

Wow! It's like your shrimp is a water parameter indicator that's awesome!!!! Thanks for sharing brooooo

[Triggs]

Thanks guys.

@Gbang - lol yeah it's handy. I don't think it's so much the parameters that effect him more so stress/health but it's very handy indeed. It's a shame I've never been able to get it to breed.

Some of these pictures are actually taken on the same day with different colour morphs. Show's how quickly he can actually change colour.

Here's some more pics of it in other colour morphs.

This is when it's 'happy' 'healthy' or when parameters are at an ideal;

This is when temperature is above 26c

This is when he's black, The first one is almost at a mid change

Amazing little critter, I wish I could get him to breed so badly.

[fishmosy]

That red is fantastic. Is there any chance you can obtain more?

[northboy]

Wicked critter you have there.

You need some of the ones we get on the Atherton table lands, there is ones with White spots all over them and ones with black and red spots, all the spots are small spots.

Yours looks like a male do you have some girls in there? I would put them on there own some where until you start to produce some young from that special critter. And yes I have been baning on for ages about breeding out natives and some on has to have the GUTZ and fore site to start the project. I am limited by tank space for a while yet DAM, so you lot have to get into it.

Bob

[Baccus]

Great shrimp. And fascinating that it changes colour so quickly and easily. When it is in its black mode it looks like the odd female native shrimp I have caught around here. They where heavily berried and well hidden in leaf litter and very dark browns/ blacks even blue. But within a short time of being in normal tank condtions they quickly dropped their colour and went clear.

Once our floods settle down I might be able to go shrimping again, and if I am reall lucky some interesting shrimp may have been washed down stream from furhter away haunts.

[Jess]

He's gorgeous Triggs, what a great find! Maybe if you could put him in a species-only tank he might feel more like breeding? Just an idea :P