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Palaemonetes shrimp, not Cardina, not Mysis



  Ghost, glass, grass -- perhaps the reason this genus of tiny shrimp, almost
like miniatures of the real "eating" shrimp we go to Red Lobster for, has
numerous common names, is that it is so widespread. According to C. O.
Masters, it is found throughout the U. S. and Canada.  I see them all the time
visiting Florida, but the first time I saw any collected in Ohio where I live,
was at another aquarist's house. I believe Cardina may be an Asiatic genus,
but I do not know. Mysis, possum shrimp, are given that common name for their
big round belly. There is a commercial web page, www.mysis.com, which sells
frozen Mysis collected in British Columbia. We're having perfect weather to
order some.  It's wise to thaw and drain these before feeding and to wear
disposable plastic gloves when handling them. Ordinary soap does not remove
the odor from your hands. The liquid portion would cloud a fish aquarium, but
it can be added to a gelatin fish food, or fed to Daphnia, Cyclops, Naid
worms, or Cypris. While the odor may offend the human sensibilities, it
apparently attracts fish to eat whatever is flavored with it.