As you gain experience in the hobby and track through it’s muddy, expensive, and time consuming trail it’s the new and unusual that keep things fun. A screaming blue Acropora tortuosa doesnt have the same effect on me as it once did 5 years ago. I still greatly enjoy SPS corals, but have found my interest [...]
Copyright © 2008 glassbox-design.com. All rights reserved. Please do not scrap or copy content without permission.
As you gain experience in the hobby and track through it’s muddy, expensive, and time consuming trail it’s the new and unusual that keep things fun. A screaming blue Acropora tortuosa doesnt have the same effect on me as it once did 5 years ago. I still greatly enjoy SPS corals, but have found my interest otherwise occupied by unusual invertebrates and fish. On our fairly new system, it will be primarily SPS dominated, but not without it’s fair share of other life.
Our Diversity of Form posts will take a look at some amazing animals that have perked our attention and can provide that extra beauty in your tank or as viewed on your computer screen.
Oregon Tort by ExoticFrags.us
In the U.S there has yet to be much emphasis on the keeping of inverts. We have them to make our lives easier in the form of “Clean Up Crews”, not for any added aesthetic or intriguing value. The lone exception to this is possibly the Skunk Cleaner Shrimp (Lysmata amboinensis) which has become a staple among hobbyists.
Most find the Lysmata family, in general, a good addition due to their cleaning abilities; for some reason seeing a fish try and stay perfectly still never gets old. They also add movement to otherwise still tanks with their long stark white antennae.
Lysmata amboinensis at work
But what about other ornamental shrimp? Periclimenes, Cinetorhynchus, and Tozeuma species are all unique and deserving of place in the most beautiful systems. Keep in mind some of these species have special dietary needs, however, there are a few that make great additions.
The Periclimenes or anemone shrimp species are identified by their glass like appearance. Related to glass feeder shrimp, the more desirable species include striking markings. We currently have a P. brevicarpalis, commonly called the white spotted anemone shrimp. Attempting to mimic the swaying ocean, they often sway back and forth. He’s quite entertaining and a good scavenger. A poor photo of ours climbing on some tub’s blue zoanthids.
P.imperator is a beautiful and commonly available shrimp. Some do well, while others perish. In the wild they are found in association with other animals such as Seastars and Cucumbers; some believe they need the slime of their natural hosts to sustain them… Best suited to larger diverse tanks.
P.pedersoni has similar characteristics to P.brevicarpalis. Easy to care for and occasionally will clean other fish.
P. holthuisi is a species with scarce info available on it’s captive care! As an Anemone shrimp we have a feeling it is a carnivore/scavenger like it’s related brothers. We would love the opportunity to keep one of these beautiful shrimp.
Cinetorhynchus shrimp, or hinge back shrimp, are some of the most colorful shrimps we’ve seen. Unfortunately they are quite rare in the trade, and not much is known on their captive care.
C. manningi
The Atlantic C. reticulatus
Sexy shrimp (Thor amboinensis), are just becoming recognized among the nano crowd. Another easy to care for and entertaining species.
Tozeuma shrimp are easy to distinguish by their slender beaked shape. Another species rare in the trade and unknown dietary needs, but beautiful and deserving of mention.
We hope some of the above images will open your eyes to the beauty of these creatures. If you purchase any shrimp or would like to share your own experiences, please tell us in the comments section below.
3 Comments
Beautiful animals. I have really been thinking of ways to make my tank stand out as well. I am gonna see if my local fish store can get ahold of some of those rare ones. Good luck with your search. If you find them please share the info.
My L. kuekenthali. One of lesser known (at least in US aquarium trade) in Lysmata genus.
I love shrimp. Ornamental and food.
Couldn’t agree more. A year ago we bought one sexy shrimp, which has staked out a territory around a bubble coral. We recently added two more, and they’ve laid claim to an octo-frogspawn. Very entertaining in our 70-gallon.
2 Trackbacks
[...] addition to a beautiful fish line up, the invert stocking is quite unique. The variety of shrimp, hermit crabs, and other oddities makes you take a second look, see [...]
[...] As we said before, add these guys with caution. They are animals with claws and given the opportunity there is no telling of how they will behave. If you’re like us and feel their beauty out weighs the risks, then we wish you luck on your crab collecting. If hermit crabs are not for you, we suggest looking at some beautiful ornamental shrimp. [...]