Furry Shrimp? - 09/10/2004 Hi all, I have a question for Sabrina, the shrimp-obsessed!  <Wayhay, thass me!> Actually anyone will be just fine :) I have some Japonica shrimp in my 25G freshwater tank. I have had them for about 4 months. Well I noticed that on one of them the rear legs (all the small ones) have what looks like fur, thick, fluffy stuff (for want of a better word) in between the legs. It's really hard to describe.  <And hard to envision, from the description.... Is this "fur" on/among the swimmerets/pleopods (the legs used for swimming, not walking), or on the walking legs?> It goes from the body of the shrimp down to the end of the legs and its thick! It's not on the front legs just those small multiple rear ones.  <I don't suppose you could provide a photograph.... ?> It looks like a thick algae growth or something.  <I *have* seen algal growths on the backs of very large shrimps, like fully grown M. rosenbergii, when kept in a poorly-cared-for tank, but never, ever seen C. japonicas with algae on 'em; I doubt that's what it is.> It's the same color as the shrimp kind of beige-y color. <I'm supposing what you're seeing is, in fact, a normal "hair" that grows on the pleopods - not really true "hair" at all. Strikes me as though I've only seen such "furriness" on larger japonicas.... I know my two biggest exhibit this, and all my Atya and Atyopsis shrimp are so furry on their undersides they make puppies look bald.> Anyone have any idea what this could be?  <Though admittedly, I don't know what the hair is called off the top of my head (ouch, bad pun), I do believe this is absolutely normal.... A pic would help immensely.> All my water param.s are good, NH3, NO2 zero, NO3 about 5ppm. My other fish and shrimp are fine. <Sounds good.> I'm really mystified. I was hoping it was eggs but I found a picture of what a shrimp with eggs looks like and they ain't eggs! <You'll know eggs when you see 'em. But unless you're keeping your japonicas in brackish water, no eggs from them will survive; the larvae would require quite a bit of salt in the water to make it to adulthood. If you are interested in breeding, though, there are a lot of species that will do so successfully in a freshwater tank like yours!> Thank you for your help and time as always. <And thank you for your interest and kind words!> Maggie <Wishing you and your inverts well, -Sabrina>

Crawfish Caviar I purchased a blue Marron <crayfish> about 3 weeks ago. She (I'm assuming - I haven't really looked) She was out and about for the first week then, after her grand escape and recapture, has been in hiding until today. I had to see what was going on since the last one that went into hiding got stuck and died the cave (very smelly situation). Anyway when she finally came out I noticed many eggs attached under the swimmerettes (sort of dark in color) She soon went back into hiding and was very eager to do so. I never noticed any eggs when I got her. What happens now? time line wise. Does she need a male to fertilize the eggs? <Sure. Females usually "berry" from 1 to 3 weeks after mating. If she was with a male before you got her, then there is a chance you will see a hatch. If not, no chance> How long is the whole egg to crayfish process? <A lot of variables. Species, water temp etc.. The eggs will lighten if they are fertile> I haven't had any luck trying to find info. <Google "Crayfish". Tons of info out there. Don> Please help.    Thanks Shari

Ghost shrimp for trigger and puffer My fish love these things, but the LFS has problems getting them. What's it take to culture them? Thanks in advance. J -- <Really need to get to these sorts of pieces for articles, books and the websites... For now will tell you this can be done... and you may find the most information starting with the "Freshwater Crustaceans/Shrimps" section of the www.WetWebMedia.com site and the references beyond listed there (under Bibliography/Further Reading at the bottom of each article/section). Bob Fenner>

Sexing ghost shrimp I'm trying to breed ghost shrimp and I was wondering how to tell the difference between a male and female ghost shrimp. <Mmm, is this the ghost shrimp of the family Callianassidae? Or the Palaemonids that are sold as food animals in the pet-fish trade? For the latter please see here: http://fish.orbust.net/ghostshrimp.html Bob Fenner>

Reproducing blue lobsters Hi folks I'm new to this site so forgive me for any indiscretions. <No worries> A friend has asked me to find out.... his blue lobster has eggs on it should he leave it in the tank it shares with an Oscar and Piranha or should he put into another tank that it doesn't normally go in but it has other blue lobsters in? <The females will often give up on the eggs if she is disturbed at all so it is recommended that you leave her where she is.> Thanks for any help. Billy <Youre welcome. Ronni>