Fish That Do The Job

[JellOh]

I think why Megalodon means is that once your mother gets a bigger aquarium she will see it as an opportunity to get more and more fish, and eventually overstock the new tank. I think it'd be better to work towards making her see reason with her tank. Maybe you could have her sign up here?

 

[the_lock_man]

nO. Don't get ghost shrimp! They mix them with macrobrachium and the macros WILL eat the tetras!

 
You need to learn to tell the difference between a ghost shrimp and a macrobrachium, and then refuse the macros when the shop tries to bag them.

 

[SamB]

 

nO. Don't get ghost shrimp! They mix them with macrobrachium and the macros WILL eat the tetras!

 
You need to learn to tell the difference between a ghost shrimp and a macrobrachium, and then refuse the macros when the shop tries to bag them.
 

 
They look identical as juveniles, which is when they are sold with the ghost shrimp. It's only later you can tell the difference..

 

[the_lock_man]

 

 


nO. Don't get ghost shrimp! They mix them with macrobrachium and the macros WILL eat the tetras!

 
You need to learn to tell the difference between a ghost shrimp and a macrobrachium, and then refuse the macros when the shop tries to bag them.
 

 
They look identical as juveniles, which is when they are sold with the ghost shrimp. It's only later you can tell the difference..
 


 
Apart from the claw.

 

[SamB]

 

 
Which is which? (pulled from google images search for each type... so if neither is either, oops..)

 

[the_lock_man]

I think you think the top one is the macro. Funnily enough, that image is listed on Google from this very site. This is the post As you can see, the post says about the mis-selling, but clearly states that the picture is of a ghost shrimp (which is why Google got confused).
This, on the other hand, is a macro, of about the same size, with the pincers clearly discernible.

And this is what they grow up to be
 

 
Scary.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

OUCH.

 

[SamB]

I get so confused between them. In person I have a hard time picking out the claws. I think i need to look at more pictures. 

 
I know that personally I won't be risking it again, I think there are many more attractive shrimp that don't have the risk of being one of those carnivorous beasties... as well as being a risk to the fish, they're pretty scary looking!
 
I like the look of crystal reds:

 

[the_lock_man]

We had someone on here a year or two ago, who had just bought some amanos, and wondered why one of them was attacking their cory. When we got photos, again, the claw was easily distinguishable - remember that the pincer limbs are significantly longer than the equivalent on a ghost or an amano. You are right that they are very often mixed in with macrobrachiums, but if you take the time to look at what the LFS staff is trying to sell you, you shouldn't make a mistake.
 
And I agree wholeheartedly about crystal red shrimp.

 

[Megalodon]

exactly what i meant.

I think why Megalodon means is that once your mother gets a bigger aquarium she will see it as an opportunity to get more and more fish, and eventually overstock the new tank. I think it'd be better to work towards making her see reason with her tank. Maybe you could have her sign up here?

 

[haleem8777]

That makes so much sense now. i year ago i brought 2 shrimp labeled as amano but one of them kept on killing my smaller fish like neon's and baby guppy. i thought it where the shrimp, what i am trying to say i thought that amano where killers
ever since i never  got amano shrimp about what happened but know i know and i may be able to add some to may tank.
 
Sorry for going off topic, i would recommend some tiger shrimp if you could get some as they are really nice and they clean the floor 

 

[Ch4rlie]

I like Blue Tiger Shrimps!! 

 
Why don't you show your mom this forum and what everyone says about overstocking tanks and what will inevitably happen. Maybe then she may realise what you are trying to say and reconsider about overstocking.
 
Good luck! lol 

 

[Bluesand1313]

 
exactly what i meant.

I think why Megalodon means is that once your mother gets a bigger aquarium she will see it as an opportunity to get more and more fish, and eventually overstock the new tank. I think it'd be better to work towards making her see reason with her tank. Maybe you could have her sign up here?

 

 
Naw, she wouldn't. She's not that into fish, doesn't know how to care for them. She wouldn't get anything else if I told her not to.
 
Though, I tried telling her that her tank was overstocked and she got so mad at me she ended up yelling at me and then not talking to me for about two days
 
So reasoning with her is OUT of the question.
 
 
She says that her tank doesn't have big poopers and that "If I hadn't put the Red Wags in her tank it wouldn't be overstocked" (I only put them in there cause I had to, or else put them with my betta and we all know how that would turn out.)
And then she said that "The pleco we have is your fault, you and your aunt arrived with a big fish (which we returned since he was too big for the tank) and then you said that there are some that don't grow very big (Yes I did, I was 10 at the time. Don't believe a 10 year old.) and so we went out and got Houdini (our current fish, which the storekeeper said they only grow up to the tank size... failing to mention, obviously, that it was stunting him)." And then she went on to say that he was a small pleco, which I had to look up (even though I already know, but she had to see for herself) that they grow up to six inches and she went on to convince herself that "UP to six inches. That's like saying you could be up to 6'5!" Uh no, that's the adult size (I tried telling her this) "Yea, your adult size could be 6'5!" No mom, my adult size is supposed to be 6'8, I'm 6'6." Which she shut up about but still managed to get away with thinking he's a "Little Pleco".
 
Oh, and the worst part? She asked if the black skirts and the neon tetras were overstocked if we just had those, and so I told her that the black skirts we have are supposed to grow bigger (and I explained stunting to her) which she said they are "Mini Black Skirts" and started yelling at me when I said there was no such thing
 
So, now you know that my mom is very persistent and will NOT be talked into seeing her tank is overstocked.
 
In other words... To make peace, I was forced to put Whity (The cory catfish she has) back in her tank, but I did buy two (and hopefully one more soon, I didn't have the money back when I bought the others) of the False Julii's. 
One's name is Crazee and the other is Saga. I think Saga might be female, but I'm not sure. They still seem like juveniles, so I don't think they're sexually mature yet, but Crazee chases Saga around the tank like there's no tomorrow.
Maybe he's just trying to hang and she keeps running away. Idek.

 

[the_lock_man]

That makes so much sense now. i year ago i brought 2 shrimp labeled as amano but one of them kept on killing my smaller fish like neon's and baby guppy. i thought it where the shrimp, what i am trying to say i thought that amano where killers
ever since i never  got amano shrimp about what happened but know i know and i may be able to add some to may tank.
 
Sorry for going off topic, i would recommend some tiger shrimp if you could get some as they are really nice and they clean the floor 

 
I can say with certainty that amanos are NOT killers - sounds like you also had macros.

 

[snazy]

Well, if she doesn't reason about the stocking, then hopefully at least she does the extra water changes required for such an overstocked tank. Lots of plants will also certainly help the water quality.