I must have

[Baccus]

I must posses the most determined to never be seen riffles in Aquaria :Scratch-Head:.

I have not seen my merry little band of males (well I think they are males they are still only small, in fact since they have barely grown I wonder if I got midget ones too boot ;))

Any way I went looking for my riffles this afternoon and sure enough they where were I expected them to be, hidden away in the deepest darkest recesses of a rather over grown java fern. And no sooner did I locate them and they where off like the clappers and all I got to see was their distinctive strips and bold tail spots quickly disappearing into deeper and darker areas of the tank.

Its a real shame that they are so determined to not be viewed, not only do they turn the most amazing colours ( have found such pretty blue ones in the tank), but also I love watching them sweep the water as they feed.

Does anyone else have this problem with riffles? Or are mine just on too good a wicket and don't need to bother emerging from their preferred home for food. At least they aren't roaming off out of the tank, and seem to have finally decided to stay out of the filter.

So here is one slightly oblinging riffle I managed to photograph before he made a beeline to where ever his brethren had disappeared to.

[ineke]

Isn't that always the way, as soon as the camera is out the shrimp are gone!

[newbreed]

I have recently thinned out one of my tanks as I could never find the shrimp I was looking for.

I have thinned out plants at ground level and have moss on floating bioballs only. This gives them lots of shade on the ground but it's open so I can see them easier. Not riffles but thought it may help?!

Do rifles prefer a lower light environment maybe?

[Baccus]

I think they are predominately night feeders and during the day hide out under rocks and things in the riffles of a creek. At least that was where we found them when I went up to Cairns (I am yet to have a good look for riffles around CQ). When mine where in a different tank they spent the majority of their time in a large hollow log and sitting in the opening of the log that was angled towards the filter return.

In their current tank the large over grown java fern is away from the tank light (which does not extend the full 4ft of the tank only around 2-3 ft) and is positioned in front of the return from the HOB filter. So I guess its the perfect environment for them, just not so perfect for me to view them.

[Baccus]

More determined to be hidden pictures of these frustrating shrimp

[Wraithie]

Mine come out a lot to feed, i often used to find them face first in the filter outlet where they get the most flow. Similarly i usually see Durro's sitting in front of the filter return pipe with their fans out.

[Baccus]

I think mine have just worked out that they get plenty of current and ample food swirling past them in the java fern, since it is centre to the HOB water return, so no need to show themselves. I am getting some more soon, which I am hoping will be big enough to be female or almost female, that should stir the males into some action and possibly make them more visible.

[ShrimpSilly]

Hey guys I have a few riffles ATM and the move to where ever the highest flow is. If you get a small power head filter with only a small filter piece in it like a pond pump and place it in the front corner of the tank they should come out to the nice fast flowing water. I find where ever the fastest current is the come to that place sometimes my filter falls off the they back of the tank and and the flow is at the front of the tank when I wake up in the morning there's about 20 of the largest riffles sitting right at the front of the tank the are sometimes even sitting on top of each other to get to the current lol. Once the moderators approve my post I will try post some videos as I can deliberately put the the filter at the front of the tank if I like ?. I believe in the wild they do feed during the day but under rocks and at night they come out to the sides of the rocks and sometimes on the tops(I have observed this at on location with a torch) once the riffles are settled into my tank the come out and feed all day some just walk around and feed others sit directly in the flow of the filter I hope this helps you out in getting to see your riffle Shrimp a bit more. I love sitting and watching my riffles pushing each other around for the best position in my tank and watching there little hands (fan like filters) sitting out in the current catching the tiny food the eat I also believe that riffle Shrimp help a lot to prevent white spot as they eat them before they can get to the fish in the tank. However I don't have any proof of that it's just a theory lol so please don't think it might be a cure for white spot.

[ShrimpSilly]