[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: Grass Shrimp



Roy wrote:

> Date: Sat, 20 Feb 1999 01:24:34 EST
> From: GMN199 at aol_com
> Subject: Fresh water Grass Shrimp
> 
> Bought some of the above the other day at a local aquarium.  They are
> allegedly fresh water, but I have never heard of FW glass shrimp.  Is there
> any info on these?? they are still alive and happy(?) in FW. They are rather
> large, about 1'' in length.
> Haven't seen them eat, but I haven't been watching.  Any info would be helpful
> thanx

Almost by definition, "Grass Shrimp" are not true salt-water shrimp, for
no real plants will grow in pure sea water. They tend to come from
brackish waters like Tampa Bay and San Francisco Bay, and some probably
tolerate a very wide range of salinity. There are many true fresh-water
shrimps.

I keep a tiny version of the same things (3/4" max. on gravid females)
from Hawaii, and they readily reproduce for me in medium-soft fresh
water. It took a while, until I found they need extra iodine to do well.
Once I started feeding Nori Flakes (from Brine Shrimp Direct), as well
as regular flakes of all kinds, they multiplied like mad.

AFAIK, they are sold as feeders in Hawaii, and when they molt the fish
seem to enjoy a meal of "soft-shell crab." I keep them with tiny
peaceful fish, mostly, so they thrive. [This paragraph added to atone
for the mention of flakes on a live-foods list. :-)]

BTW, I find watching my cleaner shrimp more fascinating than watching
many fish. They are peaceful, industrious, social little critters, and
endlessly amusing.

Soon I'm getting a stock of the Hawaiian tiny red, true brackish, shrimp
used in those closed biospheres. Should be fun, as I am into more
brackish fish species, lately (Lampeyes, *Lucania*, *Pseudomugils*,
etc.).

Wright

-- 
Wright Huntley, Fremont CA, USA, 510 494-8679  huntley1 at home dot com

One big difference between a Libertarian and a Republocrat is the 
Libertarian knows it's not a waste to vote against a Demopublican. 
                   http://www.self-gov.org/