Anyone had any experience with fresh water prawns?

[gonefishing]

Hi Guys and Gals,

About 3-4 weeks ago, I bought 6 of what was advertized as ghost shrimp from a LFS in Austin.

I now believe that 2 of them turned out to be fresh water prawns. One of them was about 3/4" long and the other much smaller. The larger one is now about 2-1/2" long and the smaller is about 1". The big one has molted twice and each time went thru an amazing growth spurt. I have them in a very small (9 gallon) tank. They are really cool looking with a bright red "horn" on the top of their head, striped body and are awesome bottom cleaners.

I am wondering just how big they are going to get and what to expect regarding the chance of them becoming preditors vs. scavengers.

Any thoughts?

[PhishPhreek]

Re: Anyone had any experience with fresh water prawns?

For the past couple of years, I have bought ghost shrimp for feeders.  I've also put a few in my comunity livebearor tank for alge cleanup.  They never get much bigger than an inch and a quarter and do a good job mowing down the hair alge.

This past weekend I went on safari an cought a half a dozen shrimp.
1.5 to 3" in length, gray in color.  the water in the bayou was 1.005 sg.
(about 20% of what salt water would be) So I think that makes them fresh water shrimp.  Actually, I think the fish & shrimp migrate to the shallow brackish water bays during the winter and spawn and the young grow up in the brackish water and move out into the ocean as they get big enough to survive.

[a_Vertigo_Guy]

Re: Anyone had any experience with fresh water prawns?

i think you got those rosenberg or tiger prawns. nasty little things. recommend one to a tank with nothing else with it. neat littel critter if you can accomodate it.

[gonefishing]

Re: Anyone had any experience with fresh water prawns?

After more research, I have determined that mine is a Giant Malaysian Prawn. They are the critters that are being commercially grown in Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana and various other places and marketed as farm raised fresh water shrimp. They grow fast and develop large tasty tails. Some are sold live on ice and used in upscale gormet restaurants.

Anyway, I have moved mine to a 10 gallon tank and stocked it with a bunch of mosquito minnows scooped up from the lake. The prawn loves them and eats about 3 per day. He is about 6 inches long from claws to tail right now. It's going to be interesting to see how big he gets with all that food source.

[Tiapan]

Re: Anyone had any experience with fresh water prawns?

wow interesting little predator good look with it

[guppymax]

Re: Anyone had any experience with fresh water prawns?

I spoke with Craig Upstrom about it a week or so ago. I think he is the local expert:

http://aquacultureoftexas.com/

He produces Malaysian Prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii in Weatherford. They are also called Giant ( River ) Prawn and usually get just under a foot long. There are some salt water shrimp farms around too. I know one is in Stowell. I guess that is mostly Pacific White Shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei.

max

[HFBfounder]

Re: Anyone had any experience with fresh water prawns?

Is this it? If so, that thing is huge!

[gonefishing]

Re: Anyone had any experience with fresh water prawns?

thanks houstonfishbox.

That's him! Or at least his BIG brother.

Something else that was intresting. About 4 weeks ago, I noticed he lost his left (arm) claw. All the way up to the body. I could not find it in the tank so I guess he ate it. Within 2 weeks he had grown another one that was 50% the size of the original. Now it is the same size as the original.

[pam916]

Re: Anyone had any experience with fresh water prawns?

I know this is a old posting, but in case you have not realized it already, this species will be the only species left in your tank if there are anyother fish of shrimp or crayfish left alone with it.  Mine grew and grew and grew at an incredible rate and it ate everything besides itself and a large albino channel catfish and a large plecostomus.

[gonefishing]

Re: Anyone had any experience with fresh water prawns?

Yes, He (or It) is a beast. It will eat anything including it's own molts (shed skin) which is pretty gross. I have it all alone in a 10 gallon and it wont be long before that is too small.

[gt3guru]

Re: Anyone had any experience with fresh water prawns?

I bet my Puffer could take it

[gonefishing]

Re: Anyone had any experience with fresh water prawns?

You may be right about the puffer.  

I have a pretty bad a$$ Mangunese Cichlid that might also stand a chance when he gets a little larger.