How can I tell the difference between RCS & Caridina sp WA 4 - North Australian Chameleon shrimp

[Jenbenwren]

Can anyone please let me know how to tell the difference between RCS and Caridina sp WA 4 - North Australian Chameleon shrimp that are doing a pretty good job of looking like RCS? I'd hate to sell someone what I thought was an RCS, only for the buyer to find out later it's a Chameleon.

I couldn't help myself when I saw Chameleons being advertised locally for $1 each and I was very excited to be able to pick up 20+ Around a month ago. I put them in our 80cm tank with our RCS keepers without realizing just how well they would 'blend in' with the RCS. Luckily some have taken on the color of the substrate, rocks or wood, but I'm pretty sure some are copying the RCS.

So now I can't tell 100% if I'm looking at a Chamaleon that looks like a RCS, or if it's an RCS that has lost some color, or in other cases became a deeper red, due to the different water parameters in the new tank, or if my smaller young female RCS have developed an orange stripe down their back at a much younger age than a couple of our mature lady RCS did. They didn't get a stripe till they had been fully grown for a while.

[fishmosy]

Wowsers, this is a tough situation. My first thought was to look at the rostrum, then I actually looked at the rostrum on my chameleons! Yeah that idea is out unless you have a dissecting microscope and time to sort them one by one.

Your largest shrimp would have to be RCS as chameleons dont get very big. Chameleons are the smallest shrimp I've kept and their shrimplets are tiny.

Chameleons are supposed to change colour but I'm able to pick the same individuals in my tank day after day, so I'm not sure if there is any way to differentiate them by colour or colour in response to stress.

It really is a difficult situation. I'm sorry I can't offer any better advice.

Best of luck.

[Jenbenwren]

Thanks Fishmosy. I've tried looking at them through a magnifying glass to spot the differences, but that didn't help. When I get a chance I might try taking some macro pics to see if I can pick the differences that way. Other wise, once I get my rack set up and everything's ready, I might see if putting them in seperate compartments with a little gravel and plants will cause the chameleons to change again. Then I can move the RCS into 1 of the 2fts on the rack and leave the Chameleons in the 80cm. The RCS culls will be be easier to catch in the 2ft as well. The 80cm is 54cm deep so it's a bit harder to catch them