Size comparison. DAS vs C. wilkinsi

[Grubs]

 

All the smaller shrimp are C. wilkinsi.  The DAS are big old girls (estimate 3+ years old) approx 50mm in length.  These were in a planted tank and the C. wilkinsi have been breeding like rabbits shrimp.  Tank was well stocked with fish including Congo tetras, rummynose, cardinals that apparently never got the taste for shrimp.  In the bucket there are some otos and native penny fish from Dave@Aquagreen also. 

[GotCrabs]

Yeah I've DAS from Dave at AquaGreen as well, they are monsters compared to the other shrimp I have.

[Proto]

That's been my experience wilkinsi, the prolific breeding. c.longirostris also seem to have similar size difference (had a few mixed in with my order, think it was three but 5 are in the tank now.) to wilkinsi

[Proto]

Also have you figured out how to sex wilkinsi? apart from when they are carrying eggs (which seems to be pretty much all the time) I cant tell the difference, doesn't seem to be size or anything. I have an observation (but it may just be in my tanks) that the females seem to have more pattern, I very rarely seem completely clear shrimp with eggs but any with slight tiger mark or the skunk line down their back pretty much are always carrying eggs....it may also just mean the clear ones are young. Haven't quite figured it out yet.

[northboy]

Males in most natives are smaller and less colourful as a rule and the bigger the egg the easier to breed DAS have a small egg but not out of the question.

 

Good shot for comparison.

 

one of the local Riffles would make the DAS look small, they are about 3 to 4 times bigger again than the DAS

 

Do I see a couple of Chameleons in the top left corner

 

Bob

[Grubs]

I cant look at just one shrimp and say is definitely a male, but given a group I can usually pick a few and say they are more likely to be males as Bob described on size and perhaps body shape - its very subjective.  The girls look a bit "chunkier" even without eggs.

 

Would love to get some giant riffles from you one day Bob.  Mine came from "livefish.com.au" a year or so ago and they are about the same size or perhaps even a bit smaller than my DAS.  Perhaps they are still young, or perhaps they are the southern sub-species and yours is the northern (some conjecture still on the status of the northern vs southern populations).

 

 

I think (but am not certain) that the darker shrimp top left are Chameleons.  There were some Chameleons in the tank at one stage but these are far bigger than my breeding population of chameleons in another tank that are half the size.  Most of my wilkinsi are clear to mottled with characteristically green eggs, but there are a number of shrimp in the tank with a "skunk stripe" that I think might be the chameleons.  I need to re-aquaint myself with the differences and break out the microscope.  Does anyone have a key that describes or has diagrams for the rostrum of Caridina serratirostris or WA4?

 

EDIT:  Yes just spent some time looking at my C. wilkinsi tank where I added some shrimp from the bucket and I'm pretty sure I've "contaminated" the tank with some chameleons. Now I *have* to learn to ID them better.

Edited April 14, 2015 by Grubs

[northboy]

Howdy Mate

 

No sure on the WA4 but the local one serratirostris are different enough that when you look at them you can see it straight away, the ones from Dave should be simular as they were the same shrimp early on, the local one is short straight and lots of teeth on the upper surface.

 

I will have some of the big riffles for sale soon, I always have lots of stuff, photos for the sale section are my problem, I just don't get around to taking reasonable ones LOL

 

Bob

[Proto]

Oh geez now I might have rogue chameleons too? I dunno if Liverpool Creek Aquariums even sell those so maybe the skunk patterning may be natural (although uncommon) for wilkinsi? The skunk shrimp I have also have the 3 or 4 tiger stripes that seem common in the wilkinsi population (can see the ends of the stripes just under the skunk stripe), most of the wilkinsi have green eggs but some of them seem to have darker (almost black) eggs. The skunk shrimp don't seem to change colour at all in my tank and I'm under the impression that chameleons do/can.

[northboy]

Wilkinsi  can have a lot of different colours in the eggs and body colours to, there is thought that the shrimp that can change colour a lot, it is the time between sheds, just one thought being tossed around, look at the nose / Rostrum that will tell you Chameleons/ ninjas have a short straight rostrum, most others have a curve of some description and serration on the under surface.

As far as I know Jeff has not had Ninjas / Chameleons up for sale, they are  in his ponds I think, seeing him on the weekend will ask.

 

Bob

[Grubs]

The shrimp I've looked at so far all have the rostrum as long as the antennae scales when viewed from above which I think means they are NOT WA4 and are C.wilkinsi. I'm pretty sure based on searching everyone elses pictures and the description for C.serratirostris that WA4 has the rostrum quite a bit shorter than the antennae scales. ... now I just need to find those skunk striped buggers and check them..but being in a white bucket overnight they've all gone pale!  *shakes fist*

Edited April 16, 2015 by Grubs

[northboy]

LOL you have your work cut out for you.

I am still trying to chase up the Scientists for the line drawings to use for ID, one day. like me he is flat out all the time

 

Bob

[Proto]

On the topic of egg colour.

 

I just saw a mottle orange female with the usual three tiger type stripes on back with rust red eggs, they really stood out compared to the usual green or black eggs. Not a colour I've seen or seen mentioned so figured I'd just put that out there.

Edited May 23, 2015 by Proto

[northboy]

The ID drawing is in and with Nogi to post up, it will hopefully get every one using the right ID and not colour to ID shrimp that are not man made= Crystal and Cherry types.

 

Eggs, don't know why but colour of them can vary, might be something to do with food and that one is just food for thought BOOM BOOM.

 

Keep an eye on the different eggs and see if some thing out of the box turns up, its time to get Aussie variations going.

 

Off topic and out of the box, Ben took home some shrimp that will lend them selves to producing ODD colours, when they are settled he will post some photos.

 

Bob

[Proto]

They only connection (and I have to keep checking it) is egg colour seems to match the mothers eye colour. Black eyed mothers seem to have black eggs, white/light eyes seem to have shades of green. The red egged mother had red eyes and I have quite a number of males with red eyes but haven't noticed any other berried females with red eyes so may be a fluke. Something I'm monitoring, fairly wild speculation at this point.