Screwed by Petco...

[Mr Fish]

They sold me a "bamboo shrimp" which I've looked at and I think is some kind of striped shrimp or long-armed prawn...

-- I have a brisstle nose pleco. It nips at it but when the pleco rustles about, it leaves.

I also have tiny little red crabs, some guppies and other fish... is this damn prawn/shrimp going to constatly bother them? I got two, actually, and one is pretty darn big, like 4-5". The other smaller one hasn't bothered anyone and actually avoids the big one, too.

I eventually wanted REAL bamboo shrimp... what kind of things is this big shrimp going to bother? Should I return it?

[warren126]

I will take it off your hands my fish loves shrimp

[Mr Fish]

I caught him dragging off my pleco... SOB... I took out both shrimp right after that... took me a while to get them both... I hope they can handle decently cold water, they've been moved to my outdoor 100gallon pond. From what I've read about them, they're predators, they'll attack and kill fish x3 their size and they need 70-80 degree temp to live. I don't think they'll make it in the pond... shame, they were pretty to look at... but freaking petco... they really screwed me over... I hope my pleco wasn't hurt in the attack..

[MiSo]

got a picture of it?

i would like to see what it looks like.

[fishfreek4life]

I have seen these called "Bamboo Shrimp" before. I raise and breed inverts, and this is actually a Prawn. What kind, I cannot be for sure without seeing it, but the ones I have seen in many PetCo's are prawns. Clear, long arm-like protrusions, and a semi-wispy tail.

They will play around and possibly eat anything that is in their territory, which is most of the bottom of the tank, including caves or pots. They do prefer a moderate temp, but can survive down into the 60's if acclimated properly.

Larger crabs will give them a good fight, as will any decent sized cichlid or large pleco. A FW lobster (crayfish) would keep the prawn in check if not kill him.

They are a fun critter to have, but they do better in a tank by themselves, or in tanks where they cant catch anything since they are slow for the most part.

[redpaulhus]

I know of a few petco's that sell both Long-arm prawns (Macrobrachium sp?) and Bamboo Shrimp (Atyopsis moluccensis or Atyopsis spinipes).

My local store actually puts the prawns in their "aquatic turtle" tanks when they have no turtles, because they tend to eat fish tankmates (and they really can't afford to devote a whole fish tank to just one shrimp that may not sell for weeks).

Once you've seen them both they're pretty hard to mix up - the Bamboo Shrimp have no pinchers at all, just fan-like apendages for filter feeding, and are safe to keep with fishes.

long-arm prawn:

bamboo shrimp:


Here's another good photo of a "bamboo" or "wood" shrimp:
http://www.unclenedsfishfactory.com/...opic.php?t=484

http://www.shrimpcrabsandcrayfish.co....htm~mainFrame

[Mr Fish]

I have no doubt in my mind that the bigger one was or would have gobbled up my bristle-nose pleco if I hadn't removed him. I took the smaller one out, too. Both were put into my pond and it was my plan to take them back the next day. Sadly, both died as it got unusually cold that night... a shame, it didn't take me long to realize that this shrimp wasn't a peaceful bamboo shrimp... I just wish I'd realized that when I bought them (or before).

RIP, shrimp

[mlefev]

yeah, that's petco for you. I bought what they said was a "cory" and pretty soon I knew that it didn't do anything that cories were supposed to. Well with about 5 minutes of research I found out it was a clown pleco. Good job guys! Lol

I'm just glad I didn't buy 3 or 4 more because cories like to have friends...sigh.

[Mr Fish]

Originally Posted by mlefev

yeah, that's petco for you. I bought what they said was a "cory" and pretty soon I knew that it didn't do anything that cories were supposed to. Well with about 5 minutes of research I found out it was a clown pleco. Good job guys! Lol

I'm just glad I didn't buy 3 or 4 more because cories like to have friends...sigh.

LOL. Watch out, Clowns are POOP FACTORIES. I had one in my 10 gallon at work and had to take him home to the 125. He was just a pooping machine, also at work he never came out and was pretty boring. I think he wasn't happy. Already I've seen him more in 1 day at home than I ever did in the 10 gallon. Cute little guy, I love plecos...