Hello From France

[Shrimper]

Yep Caridina japonica is the old scientific name of Amano shrimp, they are now Caridina multidentata but most shops still call them japonica. They do have variable colour but not the stripes going across their body like you have described.

I've been thinking about which species they might be and have these two suggestions: http/www.petshrimp.com/malayashrimp.html and http/www.petshrimp.com/serratirostris.html

 

[Jazzycat]

Yep Caridina japonica is the old scientific name of Amano shrimp, they are now Caridina multidentata but most shops still call them japonica. They do have variable colour but not the stripes going across their body like you have described.

I've been thinking about which species they might be and have these two suggestions: [URL="http/www.petshrimp.com/malayashrimp.html"]http/www.petshrimp.com/malayashrimp.html[/URL] and [URL="http/www.petshrimp.com/serratirostris.html"]http/www.petshrimp.com/serratirostris.html[/URL]

Thanks for the confirmation Shrimper, I thought she was wrong! Ok, they are definitely not the malayan shrimp in the first pictures, Nigel does resemble the red Ninja a little but has no bands on his tail. Looking again, he looks more like the shrimp in the first of your tagline photos, a Crystal Red? But that doean't explain his tankmates, allegedly the same species but dressed in green/brown.

I have a cunning plan, next time I am in the town with the fish shop, I will stop in and take a picture of their shrimps. They are kept with farlowellas with only balls of fluff* in their tank, so should prove easy to capture on film.

* I was told this was a great hiding place for them... sounds bizarre, but it must work for them!

 

[Jazzycat]

UPDATE!!


This morning during feeding I noticed one of the shrimps strolling around the tank, bold as brass, not minding at all the frenetic activity going on all around. On looking closely, first thing I thought was "who the heck's that?!"

It's certainly grown, and has obviously been to a tailor, as he is now a pinky white body with thin black irregular bands. Totally different to how he arrived! Also seems to have had a personality transplant too. Now given that I'm absolutely sure no-one smuggled a new shrimp into my tank last night, I must draw the conclusion that we have - Ninja shrimps. Apparently they can change colour as they please. Makes a lot of sense and explains why they have been so hard to identify!

Shrimper - what do you think? That was one of the breeds you suggested, does this sound right to you?

 

[Shrimper]

Sounds like a good call, Its not a species i have kept myself by they do change colour so is probably the most likely option

Once they are settled in most shrimp get less shy so you will probably start seeing them out and about more now.